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Guests, Professionals, and Performers by Announcement Date

Announced: 08/16/2017

Alton BrownAlton Brown spent 14 years making a good show called Good Eats. It had puppets in it and characters that lived in appliances, and his mixer had flames on it. He's done some other stuff, mostly with food...sometimes with science. Brown will be appearing Sunday only.

Wallace ShawnWallace Shawn is an actor, voice actor, playwright, essayist and comedian. His film roles have included Vizzini in The Princess Bride, Ezra in The Haunted Mansion, and providing the voices of Rex in the Toy Story franchise and Gilbert Huph in The Incredibles.

William StoutWilliam Stout is an American fantasy artist and illustrator with a specialization in paleontological art. His paintings have been shown in over seventy exhibitions, including twelve one-man shows. He has worked on over thirty feature films, doing everything from storyboard art to production design.

Jason David FrankBest Known for his role as Tommy Oliver in the long-running TV show Power Rangers, Jason morphed into series of different rangers over the years: Mighty Morphin Green and White, Red Zeo, Red Turbo and then returned in 2004 as the Black Dino Thunder Ranger.

Walter JonesJones played the character of Zack Taylor, the original Black Ranger in the Power Rangers universe.

PsychostickWhat happens when two best friends who grew up listening to Weird Al and Pantera decide to start a band combining crunching riffs and laugh-out-loud lyrics? Psychostick happens, happened, and continues to happen.

David YostDavid acted in over 200 episodes as Billy, the Blue Ranger, on the international television hit The Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers. He also starred in the feature film, Power Rangers: The Movie. Since leaving the series, Yost has worked on and produced The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Temptation Island.

Dave J BarrettDave Barrett lives with his wife, three children, and an active imagination in Maine, where he teaches financial accounting at the University. It’s All Fun and Games is the first in his series of Young Adult novels and was selected as a winner of the inaugural Nerdist Collection Contest.

Nick BloodNick Blood became a regular on the second season of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as Lance Hunter, a mercenary that Coulson turns to for help and agrees to join S.H.I.E.L.D.

Gilbert CarrizalesGilbert Carrizales performs electronic music productions and remixes live with keyboards and laptops.

Patrick EdwardsPatrick Edwards is a husband, a father, and an all around silly silly fun boy. Space Tripping is his first novel and he got it published by winning the Nerdist Space Opera contest at Inkshares. Space Tripping is nominated for best new sci-fi at the 2017 Dragon Awards.

Mallory JansenMallory Jansen has co-starred as Madalena in the series Galavant and Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as Aida and Madame Hydra.

Michelle HarrisonMichelle has remained one of the more sought after actresses in Canada, appearing in more than 70 movies and TV shows. She is currently seen as Nora Allen in a reoccurring role on CW's The Flash, guest-starring in a few of the most highest-rated episodes of the series.

Wasted WineWasted Wine is southern-fried, violin-shredding, gypsy prog madness. A five piece that combines eastern european folk-inspired dance songs with blistering rock n roll. Wrap all that up with wild theatrics and an energetic stage presence, and you have Wasted Wine.

Crossed SwordsBroadswords, rapiers and even batlefs clash in this dazzling display of Hollywood-style combat. Harsch and Sakuta reveal secrets and demonstrate many behind-the scenes moves that make up your favorite movie, TV and theater sword fighting stunts.

Nicole HarschNicole Harsch and Mike Sakuta are the Crossed Swords. For over 20 years, their Crossed Swords Stage Combat Shows have been seen across the continental U.S. and Canada at renaissance festivals and science fiction conventions and, of course, previous Dragon Cons.

Mike SakutaNicole Harsch and Mike Sakuta are the Crossed Swords. For over 20 years, their Crossed Swords Stage Combat Shows have been seen across the continental U.S. and Canada at renaissance festivals and science fiction conventions and, of course, previous Dragon Cons.

Atlanta Swing OrchestraAtlanta String Orchestra is a 17-piece Big Band of volunteer musicians who enjoy playing music from The Great American Songbook, and love to play for dances and concerts.

Sam FlegalSam Flegal has been a freelance illustrator since 2009. Working for book covers, hobby games, movie concept art, the History Channel, and private collectors, Sam loves to focus on exaggerated expressions and vibrant colors. Sam's preferred mediums are oil paint and ink.

Lips Down on DixieLips Down On Dixie is an Atlanta based Rocky Horror Picture Show cast which performs weekly Friday midnight shows at The Plaza Theater. Known nationally for their screen accuracy, the cast has made appearances at venues around the Southeast region including Masquerade, Club Future, Chamber, Tongue & Groove, and others.

Ego LikenessEgo Likeness is a female fronted dark electronic rock. Like being hit by a truck being driven by a beautiful blond...

Gail SimoneGail Simone is a multiple award-winning writer of comics and animation. Her work in comics includes fan-favorite runs on books as diverse as the Simpsons, Deadpool, Batgirl, Wonder Woman, and Birds of Prey, as well as the recent creator-owned books Crosswind and the Eisner-nominated Clean Room. She is also a fierce advocate for diversity in comics.

DJ SpiderA veteran DJ and cosplayer, DJ Spider has an ear for music and a heart made for nerdom.

StoneburnerStoneburner is a tribal electronic dance project by Steven of Ego Likeness.

This Way to the EgressThis Way To The Egress is hints of klezmer, blues, circus, gypsy-punk, stage antics, and a contagious high energy theatrical display, comedy, and bawdy humor….the ultimate party band.

Triforce QuartetThe Triforce Quartet is a traditional string quartet that plays video game music. TQ has played in front of sold out shows at PAX Prime in Seattle, PAX East in Boston; MAGFest in Washington DC, the iDIG Music Festival in Ireland; and many places with Video Games Live!

Toby FroudBeginning as the baby stolen by the goblin king in the film Labyrinth, Toby Froud has grew up surrounded by amazing creatures and fantasy art. He has worked in many creative capacities including sculpting, building, and performing for companies around the world. Additionally, he created the award winning short film "Lessons Learned."

Andrew GreenbergAndrew Greenberg, co-creator of HDI’s “Fading Suns” and original developer of “Vampire: The Masquerade,” has developed numerous traditional and digital games. His credits include Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, Emperor of the Fading Suns, Warhammer 40K: Final Liberation, Merchant Prince II, Mall Tycoon, Dungeon Crawlers and the upcoming Noble Armada.

Lisa HensonLisa Henson, CEO of The Jim Henson Company, oversees productions from development through post-production. Current projects include Netflix's The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, Sony Pictures Animation's The Star, and Happytime Murders starring Melissa McCarthy. Henson's multiple preschool credits include Dinosaur Train, Word Party, and Splash and Bubbles.

CAPT Mark McDonaghMark McDonagh is a retired 30-year Navy Captain with 12 years at the Naval War College. Mark runs National Security Decision Making Inc., an educational organization using gaming as a fun means to teach current, historic, and futuristic issues. He is a physicist and lectures on military and science topics, doomsday scenarios, and submarine warfare history.

John TartagliaOn Broadway, John has appeared in Avenue Q (TONY nominated), Beauty and the Beast, and Shrek the Musical. His TV credits include creator/star of Johnny and the Sprites, Sesame Street, Jim Henson's Word Party, and Julie's Greenroom (Netflix), and creator, co-executive producer, and star of Splash and Bubbles (PBS Kids).

The MuckersThe Muckers embody Irish rock with a twinge of sea shanties and Gypsy music

Ned BellamyNed Bellamy entered show business in the very late '70s, initially on television programs including The Waltons, M*A*S*H, and The Dukes of Hazzard. As time rolled on, however, Bellamy moved more squarely into filmed work, specializing in action, horror, or thriller fare.

Jackie (Ruth) CraftJackie is a contestant on Syfy's Cosplay Melee and has been dedicating the last few years to learning every medium and material she can get her hands on. She works to help all level of creatives get excited about costuming. Jackie's recent work includes a commercial for Blizzard's game Hearthstone.

Marquis Of VaudevilleThe group is known the world over for their progressive, carnival-esque punk cabaret stylings, fusing timeworn elements of the old world with newfangled innovation, and due to the music's mysterious, yet playful nature, they have befittingly dubbed the style "melodic mischief".

mc chrisM.C. Chris is a rapper from Libertyville, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. He was one of the first rappers to focus solely on nerd life, rapping about Star Wars, Harry Potter, ninjas, and unrequited love, instead of the usual hip hop fare. He’s just as likely to make an appearance at Comicon as he is at SXSW.

New York Disco VillainsNew York Disco Villains is an energetic, multi-media live performance act with music that has been compared to the B-52s, They Might Be Giants, and Frank Zappa. Their songs have been featured in several independent film projects as well as Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios.

Palmetto KnightsThe Palmetto Knights is a historic steel combat team that brings all of their sword clashing and live fighting to center stage. These European weapon and armor experts will expand your mind with their wide array of panels and then blow your mind with intense combat tournaments.

Steam Powered GiraffeFrom their heartwarming nostalgic melodies to their funky cabaret rock, Steam Powered Giraffe’s songs are memorable, infectious, and as unique as the robots themselves.

The Murder of Jane CrowThe Murder of Jane Crow is a musical chimera, a sonic beast bred to display traits of goth, gypsy and classical forebears.

Paul JenkinsPaul Jenkins is a British comic book writer. He has had much success crossing over into the American comic book market. Primarily working for Marvel Comics, he has had a big part shaping the characters of the company over the past decade. He currently works on the Fablewood Saga.

Joe PruettJoe Pruett is an Eisner Award winning comic book editor, publisher, and writer, having been nominated for numerous Eisner, Harvey, and Eagle awards. He has written for virtually every other major comic publisher including Marvel, Image, Vertigo, IDW, and AfterShock. Currently he is the Publisher/COO of AfterShock Comics.

John CusackWith an impressive body of work spanning the course of two decades, John Cusack has evolved into one of Hollywood’s most accomplished and respected actors of his generation, garnering both critical acclaim as well as prestigious accolades for his dramatic and comedic roles.

Rick CosnettRick Cosnett is an actor best known for his role as Eddie Thawne on the Flash, Wes Maxfield on The Vampire Diaries, and Elias Harper on Quantico.

Daisy ViktoriaDaisy Viktoria is a costume designer based in Los Angeles, CA. Daisy does film and theatre projects while growing her own fantasy costuming line. Daisy has a background in corsetry and historical costuming and teaches classes on historical costuming. Daisy's chemical engineering education assists her in using technology in costuming.

Joe FlaniganJoe Flanigan is an American television actor best known as Major/Lt. Colonel John Sheppard in Stargate Atlantis.

Christopher JudgeChristopher Judge is the legendary sci-fi and voice actor best known for his role as Teal'C in Stargate SG-1 and now as Kratos in God of War 4.

Rachel LuttrellRachel Luttrell is an accomplished actress and singer who has worked in film, television and on stage. Rachel was cast in the role of Teyla Emmagan in the SYFY Channel’s spinoff series, Stargate Atlantis, a show that won the loyalty of a worldwide fan base and ran for five very successful seasons.

Jewel StaiteJewel Staite recently joined the cast of the Sci-Fi hit Stargate:Atlantis as Dr. Keller, in addition to shooting the lead role in the feature The Tribe, which depicts the story of five young adults shipwrecked on a deserted island off the coast of Latin America where they encounter a lost tribe of savages. Jewel is best known for her role in Joss Whedon's Firefly.

Brett DaltonBrett Dalton is an American actor who is best known for playing Grant Ward in ABC's series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, currently in its third season.

Elizabeth HenstridgeElizabeth Henstridge is an English actress who is best known for her role in ABC's Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as Agent Jemma Simmons. She will be appearing Saturday and Sunday only.

Ming-Na WenThe diverse actress Ming-Na Wen can currently be seen as one of the leads of Joss Whedon’s Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Previously, she has be seen on ER, SGU Stargate Universe, and Eureka and heard as the voice of Mulan. She will be appearing Saturday only.

Jonathan WilliamsAward-winning blogger, podcaster, journalist, wrestling promoter and art curator are just some of the prolific professions held by Jonathan Williams. Founder of the multi-award-winning WrestlingwithPopCulture.com, he now works as a set dresser for genre productions such as Stranger Things, Stan Against Evil, Rainy Season and more.

Robert AllsoppRobert Allsopp has worked in film, theatre and television as a specialist costumier for the last 30 years. He is known for his work on Ridley Scott movies, including The Martian. Allsopp also created the principal costumes for Dredd 3D and has worked on many classic and recent Doctor Who episodes.

David ChenDavid Chen is currently a part of the Character Animation Department at HiRez Studios, where he worked on games such as SMITE and Paladins. He has experience in the games and Animation industry, working on shows such as The Awesomes and Chozen.

Mark JacobsMark Jacobs is one of the pioneers in online game development, and one of the most successful game developers in North America. He has over two dozen titles to his credit, including two of the highest-rated MMORPGs of all time, and Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning.

Daphne OliveDaphne is a Podcast Producer covering Black Sails and American Gods.

Katee SackhoffSackhoff’s rough and ready portrayal of hotshot pilot Kara “Starbuck” Thrace has been stealing scenes on the critically acclaimed Battlestar Galactica for years now, turning heads and winning a Saturn award along the way.

Elizabeth Rae StevensElizabeth Rae Stevens is a writer and podcaster. With Common Room Radio, which she started in 2015, she has produced over one hundred and fifty episodes, including the popular Fathoms Deep podcast, dedicated to the TV show Black Sails.

Joshua MonroeJoshua (Mr. Monroe) is a cosplayer from Bossier City, Louisiana and has been cosplaying for four years and considers it his life, love, and labor. He has created many characters from his own lore and other recognizable characters such as "Deathwing" from World of Warcraft!

Katy TownsendKaty Townsend is most recognized as the voice of celtic pit-fighter Cait in Fallout 4 whilst traveling the globe as truth seeker Klue in Ingress; Katy plays Suvi Anwar in the Mass Effect: Andromeda series, as well as a Silvi Timberwolf in Monster High: Electrified!

Dr Bug AppetitMarianne Shockley received her Ph.D. at the University of Georgia and researches insects as food and feed at UGA. She is a founding member of the North American
Coalition for Insect Agriculture (NACIA) and is on the Board of Directors for several edible insect organizations in the U.S. and Canada.

AxcelerationAlexandrea is a costumer and fabricator working at Tinsley Studio. Her last completed projects were: HBO's Westworld, Netflix's Santa Clarita Diet, and Starz's American Gods.

Jeff BurnsJeff is the creator of the Amazon Prime series Super Knocked Up, host of geeky improv show Super Geeked Up LIVE, and a published comic book writer. He moderates panels at cons across North America, including San Diego Comic-Con, Fan Expo Canada, Emerald City Comicon, WonderCon, and Montreal Comiccon.

Jessica GoreJessica Gore is the Marketing Manager for SMITE at Hi-Rez Studios.

Lynne HansenLynne Hansen is an award-winning director and screenwriter. Her films have appeared in over 65 film festivals and won over 30 awards.

Travis HerringTravis is an anime and video gaming fanatic with 30+ years in the field. He is the Marketing Director for Digital Veda Games and primary presenter at conventions for DVG’s many video game-trivia games. He has written two novels and is in the middle of his third, is an active cosplayer and is an avid reader and geek show watcher. If you see him, say “hi” and you're sure to get an earful of great anime to watch, awesome video games to play, and the latest on the current geek TV shows that are coming out.

Lyon Forrest HillLyon Forrest Hill is the Artistic Director for the Columbia Marionette Theatre in SC. He specializes in marionettes and paper puppets. Three of his short films are part of Heather Henson's Handmade Puppet Dreams film series, which are shown internationally. His film Junk Palace received an UNIMA-USA Citation of Excellence.

Allyssa A LewisLewis is most noted for animation on over 75 episodes/promos of FX's Emmy winning series Archer, NBC's 30 Rock, and Animation Domination. She is also the Founder of the animation resource and staffing agency, My Animation Life, the Animation Director of re:imagine/ATL, and Advisory Board member of ASIFA South.

Mike MassaMike Massa draws upon his experience as a Navy SEAL, security contractor, investment banker, and technologist to write exciting science fiction. He is currently co-authoring a Black Tide Universe novel with New York Times bestseller John Ringo. His previous work appears in two Baen Publishing SF anthologies.

Billy MitchellBilly Mitchell, Jr. is an American video game player. He has recorded high scores on classic games from the golden age of arcade video games. David Ramsey, writing for the Oxford American in 2006, called Mitchell "probably the greatest arcade video game player of all time." Mitchell's signature achievement is earning the first perfect score of 3,333,360 points on the original Pac-Man arcade game on July 4, 1999.

Robert R OcchialiniRobert Occhialini, in his role as Vice President of Esports Products and Technology at Turner Sports, has been involved in virtually every aspect of Turner's foray into competitive esports, and manages the portfolio of digital products.

Aaron J. SagersAaron Sagers is a TV Host, author, journalist, and social-media influencer. He appears as host on Syfy, Travel Channel, Today Show, TLC, TruTV, MTV, and more. He's editor-at-large for Syfy's entertainment site, is contributing author to Doctor Who Psychology, and as a paranormal expert is author of Paranormal Pop Culture.

Shelley SegalSpirited singer-songwriter and guitarist Shelley Segal creates music that challenges, reflects, and inspires. Her debut release, An Atheist Album has become a voice for the secular world. An artist, an activist, and an explicit story-teller, Shelley uses her music to create the world she wants to see.

Christopher L SmithChris began writing in 2012, and has published short stories in genres such as Sci-fi, Horror, Weird West, or a combination of all the above. His first novel, Kraken Mare (Severed Press) with Co-author Jason Cordova, was released in 2016.

He resides outside of San Antonio with his family.

Vanessa S ValliereVanessa. S. Valliere is a Chicago based performer who has toured nationally with her devised solo puppetry and clown work. She also tours internationally with Manual Cinema, and nationally with Theater Unspeakable and Tour De Fat. She is a proud nerd-cheerleader for the thirty-piece circus punk marching band, Mucca Pazza.

Garrett WangWang is best known for his role as Ensign Harry Kim on Star Trek: Voyager which ran from 1995 to 2001. He was keen to participate in a new role for the 2007 fan production Star Trek: Of Gods and Men.

Lloyd KaufmanLloyd Kaufman is President of Troma Entertainment, Inc., the world's oldest independent film studio. His latest 35mm feature is Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead, cinema's first horror-satire on the fast food industry-- with music

Joe KellyMan of Action Entertainment is the bi-coastal writers' collective behind comic's largest franchise characters as well as original characters. Joe Kelly has been credited with revising and revitalizing Deadpool and his creative thumbprint informed the characters, villains, and origin story featured in the mega-hit film franchise.

Neal McDonoughNeal McDonough portrays Damien Darhk in a major recurring role in the fourth season of Arrow and in DC's Legends of Tomorrow. Dum Dum Dugan of the Howling Commandos in the Marvel cinematic universe.

Duncan RouleauMan of Action Entertainment is the bi-coastal writers' collective behind comic's largest franchise characters as well as original characters. Duncan Rouleau’s work has won him both professional and critical acclaim as a writer and as an artist including his first graphic novel The Nightmarist.

Steven T. SeagleMan of Action Entertainment is the bi-coastal writers' collective behind comic's largest franchise characters as well as original characters. In comics, Seagle is best known for his semi-autobiographical graphic novel it's a bird... and House of Secrets.

Todd LockwoodSee illustrator Todd Lockwood's work on New York Times bestselling novels, magazines, video games, and fantasy role-playing games. Read his exciting novel, The Summer Dragon from DAW Books.

George LoweCartoon Networks wildly popular Adult Swim block was built on the cult hit Space Ghost Coast to Coast which ran for a decade with legions of fans responsible for its success. George Lowe is the ad-libbing madman behind Space Ghost.

Charles McFallCharles McFall is known as the Rock God of Podcasting and is currently the host of "Rock God of Podcasting", "Breaking the Panel", and the "Pokemon Go Podcast." In everything he does Charles uses his energetic sense of humor, infectious passion, and creative coaching style to inspire others.

Emily Ann SchmidtContestant on Cosplay Melee - SyFy's new cosplay competition show. Best use of Technology and Favorite Social Media Vote at Dragon*con 2016, Professional Division. Best in Show Journeyman Momocon 2015. Member at Geekspace Gwinnett, maker space.

The Nathaniel Johnstone BandThe Nathaniel Johnstone Band hails from Seattle, WA, lead by multi-instrumentalist Nathaniel Johnstone (violin, banjo, and guitar). Their vibrant sound crosses boundaries and borders, resulting in a blend of rock, jazz, surf, and folk with a penchant for storytelling and myth-bending.

William C BrockBill Brock is the team leader for Discovery Networks Monsters Underground. Brock is a national speaker and had been featured on multiple television and radio shows as a cryptic researcher and paranormal expert.

Larry DixonLarry Dixon is a cover and interior artist for books from Daw, Baen, Tor, Disney/Hyperion and many gaming companies. He is the co-author with his wife Mercedes on many of the Valdemar books and SERRAted Edge books, and is the most-read commentator on Quora in humor, comics, and standup.

Gigi EdgleyFarscape, Jim Henson's Creature Shop Challenge, Feud: Bette and Joan, Quantum Apocalypse, Showdown At Area 51, Enuattii: Face Off designer's new feature film, Lost World, Beastmaster, Nexus, Hashtag...just the beginning of the list of Gigi Edgley's extensive credits. She also writes comics, hosts and is a recording artist.

Kevin AlejandroKevin Alejandro is well known for his roles as Nate Moretta in the crime drama Southland, as Jesús Velásquez in the supernatural thriller True Blood, as Sebastian Blood / Brother Blood in The CW series Arrow, and Dan Espinoza on Lucifer.

Christopher BivinsChris Bivins has created characters and animations for more than 50 plus games, such as Dragon Slayer and Fire Wolf. Over the last 10 years, he has provided storyboard and design work for some of the industry’s leading directors like James Gunn, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Greg McLean, The Belko Experiment.

Steve BlumSteve Blum is best known as the voice of Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop, Wolverine from several incarnations of X-Men, and Zeb from Star Wars Rebels. Steve was inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records as Most Prolific Voice Actor in Video Games - appearing in almost 300 games

Brian BrushwoodBrian Brushwood is the host of Scam School for Discovery, Hacking the System for National Geographic, and now The Modern Rogue on Youtube. When not on camera, he's shoving fire in his face and nails in his eyes nationwide with his bizarre magic show.

Crystal Bright and the Silver HandsThis is what it would sound like if Kate Bush were to genetically fuse with Danny Elfman and Dresden Dolls in some strange biological experiment.

Jeff ElloJeff Ello (aka "jello") is a filmmaker/technologist with an encyclopedic knowledge of the latest technology, techniques and tricks for live action and CG film productions. Jeff's latest endeavor is PhotonArmy.com, a resource site and YouTube channel dedicated to independent media production technology.

Sanford GreeneSanford Greene has worked in the comics and animation industry for almost 10 years. Sanford is currently working on two creator owned projects: one called Rotten Apple published by Dark Horse Comics, and 1000 with MTV Entertainment. He has also co-developed a young illustrated chapter novel called An Army of Frogs.

Darrell C. HazelrigDarrell C Hazelrig is an award winning filmmaker, co-founder of the New Puppet Order, and 2015 Atlanta Film Festival Filmmaker in Residence. Edgor & Izzy, his debut feature film will premiere 2016.

Joseph James KargJoseph Karg is an illustrator who has worked on the TV shows Archer, Halt and Catch Fire, and the Netflix Original Series The Get Down. Other clients include Comedy Central, Judd Apatow Productions, and Marc Maron

Nancy KnightNancy Knight is an award-winning author of 12 books, short stories, plays, and screenplays, her new novel and book on novel writing due out in August. She has taught novel writing since 1987, is creative director of Gilded Dragonfly Books and Lost Mountain Press. She gives workshops across the country.

Ben LesnickBen Lesnick is Director of Community Engagement and Starship Development on Star Citizen, Chris Roberts' epic return to space sims, and has been involved with Star Citizen since the start of the project. He has also worked on several titles in the Wing Commander universe.

Leigh LunaLeigh Luna is a queer cartoonist from Los Angeles. She makes comics for various studios as well as creating her own self driven work. Leigh also works in animation as a background painter and color stylist.

Mary Elizabeth McGlynnMary Elizabeth McGlynn is perhaps best known for her work in Code Geass, Ghost in the Shell, and .hack//.

Matt NitchieThe Sci-Fi Janitors are Dragon Con's very own geek ambassadors to puppetry. Catch Bob and Carl on Dragon Con TV and LIVE in the Puppetry Track. Since their debut on Dragon Con TV in 2010 they have been entertaining audiences at Cons as well as at home with their web series.

Justin Robert YoungJustin Robert Young is an award winning, Billboard chart topping comedian and podcaster. His podcasts Night Attack, JuRY, and Politics Politics Politics are seen heard by tens of thousands weekly. His card game, The Contender, was heralded by The Daily Dot as "revolutionizing."

Dan BakerDan Baker is one of the founders of Oxide Games. He has worked on many games, most note-ably the Graphics Lead for Civilization V and Ashes of the Singularity.

Thomas Edward BevanThomas (Dana) Bevan is an expert on transgender science. She has published three books which disprove many common myths. Bevan received her doctorate from Princeton University in Physiological Psychology and her B.A. from Dartmouth College with Distinction in Psychology. Bevan has presented papers at many scientific and transgender conferences.

Charles BlueCharles Blue, science writer. Charles is public information officer at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. He has more than 20 years of experience communicating the wonders and discoveries of science, engineering, and technology.

Laura Seward ForczykA scientist with entrepreneurial leanings, Laura Seward Forczyk has desired to dance on the Moon and explore the stars from a young age. She holds degrees in astrophysics and planetary science. She founded space consulting firm Astralytical and specializes in planetary science research, space policy, and space industry analysis.

Chantelle Aimée OsmanChantelle Aimée Osman is a freelance editor and and creative consultant, as well as a published author of mystery flash fiction, short stories, and the six-volume non-fiction Quick and Dirty Guide To... series on writing. Find out more at www.chantelleaimee.com.

Chris PopeChris Pope aka The Space Pope is known for his work in video games. He is the co-creator of the Two Guys From Andromeda's SpaceVenture along with Cluck Yegger In Escape From The Planet of the Poultroids.

David SilvermanDavid Silverman is President of American Atheists, the Author of Fighting God, and was the creator and Executive Producer of the 2012 Reason Rally.

Chance ChancellorChance is both an award-winning leather artisan and a leather instructor for 11 years. Since starting in Atlanta, GA, he's taught over 19 hundred hours of leather classes ranging from the mundane to other worldly. Areas of expertise encompass design and construction of leather accessories to professional consultation and custom costume design.

Georges JeantyWith such titles as Bishop the Last X-Man, Gambit, Weapon Xand Deadpool for Marvel and Superman, Superboy, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern for DC in his portfolio, Georges Jeanty, a Miami native, now calls Atlanta home has accumulated an impressive run in comics.

Clare KramerMost fans know from her cult hits, Bring it On with Eliza Dushku and as Glory from Buffy The Vampire Slayer. In 2012, Clare launched the entertainment website and pop culture phenom GeekNation.com.

Ashley ScottAshley McCall Scott is an actress and model who is best known for her roles in the television series Jericho, Birds of Prey, and Dark Angel. She will be reuniting with her cast mates for a Birds of Prey reunion.

Andrea CaprottiAndrea Caprotti is a lead animator for Rooster Teeth. Her work can be seen in RWBY, RWBY Chibi, and Red Vs. Blue.

Rachel DodaRachel Doda is a lead storyboard artist and layout artist for Rooster Teeth. Her work can be seen in RWBY and Red Vs. Blue.

Kenneth HiteKenneth Hite is a writer and game designer whose works include Night's Black Agents, The Dracula Dossier, Trail of Cthulhu, The Cthulhu Wars, and The Nazi Occult.

Alex KingstonAlex Kingston is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Dr. Elizabeth Corday on the NBC medical drama ER and as River Song in the BBC science fiction series Doctor Who.

Ted NaifehComics creator Ted Naifeh is responsible for many dark, delicious worlds. These include the gothic romance Gloomcookie (with Serena Valentino), Courtney Crumrin (optioned for a movie by DreamWorks in 2007), and the all-ages Polly and the Pirates. Currently he is illustrating The Good Neighbors by bestselling author Holly Black.

K`TetchK`Tetch went from fighting robots in the UK/US to fighting for privacy, government transparency and accountability, and other rights. Now a technology journalist and researcher, he started the net neutrality fight. When not working, he's writing about Discworld and designing particle accelerators in his spare time.

Matt LetscherMatt Letscher is currently filming DC Legends of Tomorrow where he plays the Reverse-Flash. Matt received a lot of attention on his recurring role in the final season of Boardwalk Empire as Joseph Kennedy.

Danielle PanabakerDanielle Panabaker can currently be seen playing Caitlin Snow in the CW series The Flash.

Maisie Richardson-SellersMaisie Richardson-Sellers is known for her recurring role as Rebekah Mikaelson/Eva Sinclair in the second season of the CW series The Originals and as Amaya on the CW television superhero series Legends of Tomorrow. She will be appearing Saturday - Monday.

Shannon StrucciShannon Strucci is an editor and videographer known for her "SO YOU WANNA BE A FILM NERD" web series.

Jessica CamachoJessica Camacho is a Chicago born, Puerto Rican rooted, film and television actress. You can catch up with her on CW Network’s The Flash, where she plays the multi-verse hopping bounty hunter, Gypsy.

Michael DornMichael Dorn donned mounds of facial makeup for what was to be his signature role: the U.S.S. Enterprise's Klingon officer Lt. Worf on Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994). Michael reprised his role of Worf on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1995-1999).

Jonathan FrakesJonathan Frakes is best known for his portrayal of Commander William Riker in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Kania A GreerDr. Greer is an avid informal science educator. She has a background in organizational psychology and educational leadership and has a passion for learning science every day through informal and unplanned activities. She currently serves as a Project Development Specialist for the STEM Institute at Georgia Southern Univeristy.

John W LoftusJohn Loftus is a leading atheist writer and thinker. He is the author of numerous books, including Why I Became an Atheist.

Al LoweAl Lowe is best known as the creator of the Leisure Suit Larry series of video games produced by Sierra On-line back in the golden age of adventure gaming.

J. PatrickJ. Patrick has been a Program Director for the top radio broadcast companies in the US. In 2011 he turned his professional knowledge to the increasing world of internet content via podcasting. Currently, J. Patrick is the co-host of the new podcast Pod Casserole: An Adam and Jp Show

Jerry PournelleJerry Pournelle is a science fiction writer, essayist, and journalist who contributed for many years to the computer magazine Byte. Pournelle served as President of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 1973.

William ShatnerWilliam Shatner is an actor and novelist who gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of Captain James T. Kirk, captain of the starship USS Enterprise, in the television series Star Trek from 1966 to 1969, Star Trek: The Animated Series, and in seven of the subsequent Star Trek feature films. Shatner will be joining Dragon Con Sunday and Monday only.

John Wesley ShippJohn Wesley Shipp played the title role of Barry Allen/The Flash in CBS's The Flash in the 1990-1991 and can now be seen on the CW's The Flash playing Barry Allen's father, Henry Allen.

Dietrich O SmithDietrich Smith is a respected comic book artist and animator who's work has been on display through various companies like Marvel, DC, Sony, Fox, and more. His recent work is on the award winning series Shaft from Dynamite Comics.

Sarah Olmsted ThomasSarah Olmsted Thomas is an actor, puppeteer, accordionist, and one half of the puppetry duo Alex & Olmsted which was recently awarded a Jim Henson Foundation Grant.

Dino AndradeVoice actor Dino Andrade is best known as Professor Putricide, Mimiron, Mekkatorque, and more from World of Warcraft as well as The Scarecrow from Batman: Arkham Asylum! Other credits include Star Trek Online, Dungeons & Dragons: Neverwinter, Brutal Legend, Hellsing, and Pop of Snap, Crackle & Pop fame!

Kevin DockeryKevin Dockery has been a writer since the early 1980s. Previously, he has been a soldier in The President's Guard under President's Nixon and Ford, been a grade-school teacher, radio broadcaster, gunsmith, and historian.

Erin GrayErin Gray is an American actress, perhaps best known for her roles as Kate Summers in the situation comedy Silver Spoons and as Colonel Wilma Deering in the science fiction television series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.

Tricia HelferTricia Helfer is a Canadian actress and former model, best known for her role as Number Six in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica miniseries and television series. She currently plays Goddess (also known as Charlotte Richards and "Mom") in FOX's TV series, Lucifer.

Erik MonaErik Mona is the publisher and chief creative officer of Paizo, creators of the Pathfinder and Starfinder RPGs. He is a past editor-in-chief of Dragon and Dungeon magazines, and co-launched the Living Greyhawk and Pathfinder Society organized play campaigns.

Larry NivenLarry Niven is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld (1970), which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards.

Michael StackpoleMichael A. Stackpole is a New York Times bestselling author of over 50 novels, including Star Wars Rogue Squadron and I, Jedi.

Bobby BlackwolfBobby is the co-owner of the Voice of Geeks Network internet radio station and podcast network, and has hosted a live internet radio show and podcast about video games since 2005. He is also a Virtual Reality evangelist and developer for enterprise applications, having worked most notably with Salesforce.

JackMonkey FXJackMonkey FX was created in 2010 by MUA Bethany Michel. Working in Atlanta, she is enjoying the booming independent and studio film industry. Feel free to follow her bloody adventures on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Philip OdangoPhilip Odango is a producer, director, costume designer and actor who has appeared in Birdman, Oblivion, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Under the Dome and Wicked Attraction. With over a decade of experience in directing, producing and stage managing over two dozen productions, he fuses design and performance in his costumes.

Rob RobertsRob Roberts is an internet broadcasting veteran and co-creator of Orange Lounge Radio, the longest running weekly show about Video Games online which celebrated 15 years of shows this year. He is also a host of cult cinema screenings throughout Northern California.

Dennis Lee RobinsonDennis is a part of Botched Podcast. Botched Podcast is part of the Giant Size Team Up Network. Accompanying me, and part of the podcast is Tristan Gibbon and Austin Ellefson.

Lesia Miller The Haunted LibrarianA former librarian, Lesia Miller Schnur is the Haunted Librarian. She blogs at www.thehauntedlibrarian.com. A researcher for 25 years, she is currently debunking the debunking of Mothman, which turns 50 this year. She investigates the most popular theories along with obscure and shows how they simply do not hold up.

Garrick BackerGarrick Backer is Maker who loves building props, costumes & sharing knowledge. With his wife Jackie, he started KnowOne's Designs & began teaching through YouTube & an internship program with Glendale Community College. He has done work for independent film, corporate clients, & recently was selected as a contestant for SyFy's Cosplay Melee.

Lesley-Ann BrandtLesley-Ann Brandt is known for her breakout Role as Naevia in Spartacus, as Lamia in The Librarians, Copperhead in Gotham, and Mazikeen in Lucifer.

Bob BurdenBob Burden is an Eisner Award winning wrier/artist and creator of Atlanta's first superhero, Flaming Carrot, and The Mysterymen which became a feature film. Also worked on Gumby, TMNTurtles.

Sean Andrew CopelandSean Copeland is the Lead Historian of Creative Development at Blizzard Entertainment where he oversees its team of historians. This "lore team" enables developers to create with confidence for the games, goods, and IP development of all Blizzard’s blockbuster franchises.

Hunter CressallHunter Cressall produces custom instructional content and promotional video for a wide number of clients. He also consults for media and communication departments, assisting his clients in achieving communication objectives. Recently Hunter cofounded Obvious Notion a production company with long time creative partners and through this partnership creates original content.

Dan dos SantosDan dos Santos is a prolific cover artist, with numerous New York Times bestselling covers to his credit. He has created covers for Serenity, Fables, Dresden Files, and Mercy Thompson amongst hundreds of others.

Scott EdgingtonDr. Edgington is a Planetary Scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory whose research specialties are giant planets, spectroscopy, and photochemistry. He is Cassini’s Deputy Project Scientist and Investigation Scientist for Cassini’s thermal infrared instrument for Europa Clipper's ultraviolet instrument.

Lynette Eklund (Johnson)Lynette Eklund has over 50 television and film credits as a creature effects artist and performer, including on Beetlejuice, Species I & II, The Stand, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, and Puppet Master. She also worked on the Teddy Ruxpin prototype; for Disney and Universal Studios.

Brenden FletcherBrenden Fletcher is currently writing the Black Canary series for DC Comics while continuing to co-write Batgirl with Cameron Stewart and Gotham Academy with Becky Cloonan.

Megan FollowsMegan Follows is an actress and voice artist best known to international audiences for her roles as Anne Shirley in the 1985 Canadian television miniseries Anne of Green Gables and two of its sequels. From 2013-2017, she starred as Catherine de' Medici in The CW television series Reign.

Matthew GreenFor three decades, Matt Green has been one of the southeast's most active filmmakers. Last year Matt handled production design on the Star Trek fan feature film Star Trek First Frontier. Matt is currently finishing post production on the film Horrorshow written by horror novelist and screenwriter John Farris.

Samantha Inoue-harteSamantha Inoue-harte is an established anime industry veteran. She is an anime producer and partner at various Japanese anime studios, voice actress in anime and video games, and currently producing a live action adaptation of an anime series.

Adelaide KaneAdelaide Kane gained recognition for her roles as Lolly Allen in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, Cora Hale in the third season of MTV's Teen Wolf, and Mary, Queen of Scots in the CW period drama series Reign.

Kevin O. McLaughlinKevin McLaughlin is a USA Today bestselling author of of two dozen novels. One of the most successful and prolific indie writers in the speculative fiction genres, he constantly works to improve his craft, but also works daily to guide newer writers in improving their own writing and business skills.

Mike MillerMike S. Miller is a NYTimes best selling artist on DC Comics Injustice: Gods Among Us, and was cover artist for a Game of Thrones comic adaptation. Among his near quarter century bio, he has worked on titles such as JLA, Adventures of Superman, X-Men, Wolverine, Batman: Arkham, and more.

Kurt OpsahlKurt Opsahl is the Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to defending your rights online.

Paul and StormPaul and Storm have been writing and performing funny songs together for a long, long time, starting with their stint together in a cappella band Da Vinci’s Notebook. Their music has appeared on pretty much every type of media that exists.

Jessie PridemoreJessie Pridemore is an award winning seamstress that makes costumes for video game companies and Sypher Arts Studios. She has worked with Blizzard, Amazon.com, Obsidian, Gungho, and many others. She is also a contestant on Syfy's Cosplay Melee and has been featured in a Windows Phone commercial representing cosplay.

Benjamin RadfordBenjamin Radford is author or contributor to over twenty books on topics including urban legends, mysterious phenomena, critical thinking, and science literacy. He has won awards for his books, films, and podcasts, and has appeared on dozens of television shows including Good Morning America and on the Discovery Channel.

Naomi RomeroNaomi Romero is an illustrator who has done work for Illumination, Facebook, Nick Jr, ABC Mouse, BOOM! Studios, and more.

Rachel SkarstenRachel Skarsten is an actress who is best known for her role as Dinah Lance on the television series Birds of Prey, Tamsin in Lost Girl and Elizabeth I of England in Reign.

Valentine WolfeValentine Wolfe is comprised of two classically trained musicians combining ambient solo bass, brutal distortion, electronica, and 18th century opera to tell a story of the macabre.

Cooper AndrewsActor Cooper Andrews quickly emerged as a fan favorite for his heartwarming portrayal of Jerry, purveyor of smiles and peach cobbler, on The Walking Dead. Andrews is also known for his work on Halt and Catch Fire, The Red Road, and more.

Brian D. BradleyBrian Bradley is a television showrunner. He's written and produced for MADtv, Scrubs, Happy Endings and created ABC’s Uncle Buck. He co-founded the hit show 5 Truths and a Lie and contributes to Geek Girl Authority.

Jason ShwartzJason Shwartz began his career in Atlanta animating on the [adultswim] shows Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Perfect Hair Forever, and Squidbillies. He currently works as a Director at Bento Box Animation Studio having worked on shows including The Awesomes for Hulu and Legends of Chamberlain Heights for Comedy Central.

Brian StabileCo-Owner/Project Lead for the indie game studio Astro Crow, Brian Stabile also teaches Video Game Design at Full Sail University, and has published works as an author, musician, podcast host, and Japanese translator.

Alex WhiteAlex White was born and raised in the American south. He takes photos, writes music and spends hours on YouTube watching other people blacksmith. He values challenging and subversive writing, but he'll settle for a good time.

Michael R BaileyMichael Bailey has been a podcaster and blogger for over ten years. He has hosted or co-hosted such shows as Views From The Longbox, From Crisis to Crisis, and Radio KAL Live. He is also a longtime contributor to the Superman Homepage and hosts a blog called Fortress Of Baileytude.

Molly CoffeeMolly Coffee spends her nights writing and directing her own strange quirky content. By day she is a puppet extraordinaire and art department champion. Her work can be seen in “The Walking Dead”, “The Carbonaro Effect”, FX series “Atlanta”, and IFC series “Stan Against Evil” just to name a few.

Dax ExclamationPointDax ExclamationPoint, is a cosplaying drag performer that has taken the world by storm...literally. The "queen of all nerds" (as seen on season 8 of Rupaul's Drag Race) is paving the way for LGBTQ+ nerds to make their way into the forefront of popular culture!

Scott HarrisScott Harris is the planetary geologist at Fernbank Science Center in Atlanta. A world traveler, petrologist, and educator, he has published extensively on the record of asteroid impacts around the world, most notably in the Eocene strata of North America, the Miocene-Pliocene of Argentina, and the 2007 Carancas (Peru) crater.

Shareef K JacksonShareef is a STEM Diversity advocate, podcaster, blogger, and YouTuber who has appeared in NPR, Scientific American, and Boing Boing's Offworld.

Sue KisenwetherSue’s been podcasting about sci-fi TV and movies since 2010 and is a three-time Parsec Award finalist. Currently, she co-hosts Women at Warp on the Roddenberry Podcast Network. Sue’s been speaking on panels at Dragon Con since 2012 and is one of the organizers of the Dragon Con Newbies group.

Moxie Anne MagnusLt. Moxie Magnus, chief cosmetologist on the USS Enterprise, is a mediocre comic and even mediocre-er ukulelist. She has a weekly web comic (Tales from Salonbay) and a Youtube channel (The Moxie Pod). She likes long walks on alien beaches at sunset and gothic romance novels.

Dana J SamborskiDana Samborski is a Nashville-based puppeteer and animatronic technician at Animax Designs. He is an MFA candidate in UConn's Puppet Arts Program and an undergraduate alumnus of the same. In 2015 he was the Assistant Festival Director of the National Puppetry Festival. Dana is also a board member of Unima-USA.

Josh Peter StraubStraub is editor-in-chief of DAGERS, the webs premiere source of accessibility reviews and other accessibility centric video game themed content. He also runs a consulting agency that helps AAA developers understand how to design games that are both fun for the able bodied and accessible for the physically disabled.

Jeri WestersonLos Angeles native and award-winning author Jeri Westerson writes the critically acclaimed Crispin Guest Medieval Noir Mysteries, the urban fantasy series Booke of The Hidden, and The Skyler Foxe LGBT mysteries. To date, her medieval mysteries have garnered twelve industry award nominations, from the Agatha to the Shamus. JeriWesterson.com

Carole E BarrowmanIn collaboration with her brother, John Barrowman (Arrow, Torchwood, Dr. Who), Carole Barrowman has written two biographies and five novels, including the acclaimed Hollow Earth, a middle grade fantasy series about a brother and sister who can bring their drawings to life and animate into art.

C. Robert CargillC. Robert Cargill is an author, screenwriter, podcaster, and former film critic. He is the author of the books Dreams and Shadows, Queen of the Dark Things, and Sea of Rust, and is a co-writer of the films Sinister, Sinister 2, and Marvel’s Doctor Strange

Roger AltizerDr. Altizer is a professor of games who teaches game design, makes medical games, and regularly speaks at cons and in the media about games being good for you.

Julie BenzStar of cult classics such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Roswell, Julie Benz has never been one to shy away from the challenging roles, and can most recently be seen on Syfy's Defiance.

John BridgesJohn is concept art lead for SMITE at Hi-Rez studios, creating gods and monsters for the Battleground of the Gods. He lives in Atlanta, drinks coffee and walks his faithful doggo.

Charisma CarpenterCharisma Carpenter is best known as Cordelia Chase in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.

Walter Aldro DayI am considered by many "The Father of eSports, the Founder of Twin Galaxies, creator of the SCIENCE FICTION HISTORICAL TRADING CARD set. SERIES

Annabelle DeCamillisAnnabelle has worked at the UAB Alys Stephens Center costume shop and the Santa Fe Opera Properties Department as a prop painter. Her experience as a fine art painter and teacher has influenced her work as a costumer and she seeks to share her unique processes with the cosplay community.

Betsy DiSalvoDr. Betsy DiSalvo is an Assistant Professor in the School of Interactive Computing at Georgia Tech. Her research explores the impact of cultural on technology use and production. DiSalvo’s work includes the development of several games, leveraging games for learning, and analyzing the performance of masculinity in game play.

Rob FitzRob Fitz is a professional makeup artist and film director with 20 years experience. Most recently he worked on films like The Equalizer, Patriots Day and Manchester by the Sea to name a few. He also recently won several awards for his feature film "Blessid" and “God of Vampires”.

Dr. Allan FowlerDr. Fowler is a Professor in Game Design at Kennesaw State University. Fowler is originally from New Zealand and now lives in Atlanta, GA. Fowler is a published author, game designer, dedicated educator, dad, and wannabe martial artist.

Tina GrossriederTina Grossrieder is a Game Designer for the 3rd person MOBA, SMITE, at Hi-Rez Studios. Her main responsibilities include: in-game events (such as the Odyssey event), database management for purchasable content, and her favorite - writing scripts, co-directing skin dialogue and getting to know all the voice actors.

Blair MacIntyreBlair MacIntyre is a Professor of Interactive Computing at Georgia Tech, Principal Research Scientist at Mozilla, researchers, educator, entrepreneur and designer with more than 25 years of experience in Augmented, Mixed and Virtual Reality.

Elisabeth SheffElisabeth Sheff is the foremost academic expert on polyamory in the US. Author of three books and 20 academic articles, Sheff’s writings report findings from her research on polyamory and BDSM. You can find her blogs on Psychology Today at http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-polyamorists-next-door
and http://elisabethsheff.com/

Steven SpohnSteve Spohn is the Chief Operations Officer for AbleGamers charity, an award-winning author, and advocate for people with disabilities. Featured on CNN, NBC and other mainstream news outlets.

Brian StarkeyBrian Starkey is a dedicated and avid eSports fan with 4 years of experience managing a growing collegiate eSports organization at Kennesaw State University. While there he helped found the club, grow it to over 250 members, and then founded the first official eSport club sport for CS:GO at KSU.

Thad StarnerThad Starner is a Georgia Tech professor, technical lead on Google Glass, and a wearable computing pioneer.

Susan TamasiSusan Tamasi is Professor of Pedagogy and Director of the Linguistics Program at Emory University. She is a sociolinguist whose work focuses on language change, American English dialects, and health communication. She teaches Philosophy of Language and enjoys questioning the very definition and future of language.

Shaun WightmanShaun Wightman is an Artist, Professor, and Game Designer. He is the Department Chair for Digital Media Technology at Indian River State College in Fort Pierce Florida. He also Co-owns Astro Crow Games, where he serves at Art Director.

Jose P ZagalJosé Zagal is faculty at the University of Utah's top-ranked game development program. He wrote Ludoliteracy and edited the Videogame Ethics Reader and a forthcoming book on the study of role-playing games. He was also honored as a distinguished game scholar by the digital games research association (DiGRA).

Tony AnselmoTony Anselmo is a voice actor and animator who has worked at Walt Disney Animation Studios since 1980 and has been the voice of Donald Duck since 1985, succeeding Clarence Nash, who trained him for the role during the last 3 years of his life.

Sam OrtegaSam Ortega has been fortunate to work throughout NASA for 29 years on everything from microgravity experiments to solid rocket motors. He has flown on the "vomit comet" microgravity simulator, trained astronauts on experiment operations, and worked with international partners from Italy, Ukraine, and the Netherlands.

Eldritch ArtsEliza Eldredge is the owner of the costume and prop-making company, Eldritch Arts. She has crafted and sold costumes and props full time since 2012. She is known for her obsessive attention to detail and creating exquisite, screen-accurate replicas of props and costumes from films, TV, and video games.

Christopher MuellerChris is a master cutter/draper, tailor, and textile expert working in the Atlanta TV and film industry. Credits include: Sleepy Hollow, The Originals, Constantine, and several others.

Neon the GlowgobearNeon the Glowgobear is a DJ with a penchant for costuming. His unique gear and high energy music will be featured at the Spectrum Party.

Sean M. PattonSean Michael Patton is a 20+ year costume design veteran and principal for SMP Designs and has designed more than 40 stage productions, 8 short films, 5 features and numerous media projects for clients around the world.

Stephanie Arriola AndersonStephanie Anderson is an Award Winning Body Painter and Special Effects Artist from Atlanta, Georgia who creates make-up and costuming for film, TV, Video Games and Corporate Events.

John BarrowmanJohn Barrowman most recently he wowed fans with his role as Malcolm Merlyn in Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow. He is also iconically known as Captain Jack Harkness from the Doctor Who series and the spin off Torchwood. John will be appearing at Dragon Con Saturday, Sunday, and Monday only.

Titus DAVISJoseph Titus Davis has dedicated the last 7 years to perfecting the art of makeup and body art. Coming from Christian Dior into independent business owner. Joseph has worked with Highrez Studios in creating makeups and cosplay costuming for not only Dragon Con, but also for Smite World Championship from 2013 through 2017.

Kelly Sue DeConnickKelly Sue DeConnick began her comics career writing the English adaptations of Japanese comics for Tokyopop and VIZ. After 7 years and more than 10,000 pages on books like Slam Dunk, Blue Spring, and Sexy Voice and Robo, she transitioned to American comics with 30 Days of Night: Eben and Stella (IDW).

Annie EvansAnnie Evans is a writer who has been on staff with Sesame Street since 1994. She has been one of the principal writers for Elmo's World and has previously scripted the Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss, Big Bag, and Panwapa.

Matt FractionMatt Fraction is an Eisner Award-winning American comic book writer, known for his work as the writer of The Invincible Iron Man, The Immortal Iron Fist, Uncanny X-Men, and Hawkeye for Marvel Comics and Casanova and Sex Criminals for Image Comics.

Jacqueline GoehnerJacqueline Goehner is a long time cosplayer who's known for her work in costume design, acting, modeling, and hair & makeup. She was also a contestant in Cosplay Melee. Her work can also be seen on SMOSH, Curse of Sleeping Beauty, Star Trek Continues, Star Trek Renegades, and many other productions.

Deric HughesDeric A. Hughes is a co-executive producer/writer for television, video/mobile games, and comic books. He is best known for his work on Syfy Channel's Warehouse 13, CW's Beauty & the Beast,The Flash, and most recently, MTV's Scream: Season 3.

Echo KellumEcho Kellum is an actor and improviser from Chicago. You can see him on the CW's popular series Arrow, as Mr. Terrific. He also recurs on the FX comedy You're The Worst.

Stephan MartiniereStephan Martiniere is an acclaimed multi award winning artist. Stephan has been voted one of the 50th most inspirational artists by Imagine FX Magazine. Stephan has worked on movies including The Avengers, Tomorrowland, The Guardians of the Galaxy, I Robot, Star Wars Episodes 2 & 3, and the upcoming Aquaman.

Josh SegarraJosh Segarra currently stars as Adrian Chase/Prometheus on The CW series, Arrow. Other recent credits include Judd Apatow's feature film Trainwreck and as Billy Cepeda in the comedy series Sirens on USA.

Felix SillaFelix Silla's best-known roles are the maniacal, miniature Hitler who menaces George Segal in The Black Bird and Cousin Itt on the long-running TV series, The Addams Family.

Bill StitelerBill Stiteler is a writer/director/producer. He used to be an actor until he got tired of dealing with writer/director/producers. He appears on the Birdchick podcast with his wife Sharon, as well as Aging Poorly, and anti-nostalgia podcast with Sam Landman.

The Wicked TailorFrank T. Puricelli, know as "The Wicked Tailor" online, is an national award winning costume and prop maker from Charleston, South Carolina. By day he is a college history professor who specializes in 19th and early 20th century fashion and technology.

Martin RobinsonMartin Robinson is a puppeteer who works for the Jim Henson Company. He also built, designed, and performed the puppets for Little Shop of Horrors, Sesame Street, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and more!

Keith BakerKeith Baker is a prolific RPG and tabletop game designer. His latest games are the card-based RPG Phoenix: Dawn Command, Illimat, and Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Card Game.

Cecil BaldwinCecil Baldwin is the voice of Cecil Gershwin Palmer, the narrator of Welcome to Night Vale. Baldwin is a stage actor, performer, and director who has also narrated the audio book for The Fall of the Hotel Dumort, voiced Tad Strange on Gravity Falls, and more.

Trace BeaulieuTrace Beaulieu was a founding writer/performer on Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K) , playing Dr. Forrester and Crow for the show's first seven seasons as well as the feature film version of MST.

Matt BlazeMatt Blaze is a professor in the computer science department at the University of Pennsylvania. He's interested in computer security, cryptography, surveillance, and public policy.

Jennie BreedenJennie Breeden is the creator of the autobiographical webcomic The Devil's Panties. Ms. Breeden has been updating her comic daily since 2001 with over 5,000 comic strips online and multiple graphic novels that are in comic shops and book stores around the world.

Brobdingnagian BardsThe Brobdingnagian Bards are back for a Dragon Con reunion with a new CD of Celtic absurdity. They take traditional Irish and Scottish folk songs, mix it up with Lord of the Rings music to create a unique brand of Celtic Filk.

Ciruelo CabralFantasy artist Ciruelo was born in Argentina and has been living in Spain since 1987. He has worked for the most important publishing houses in Europe and in the United States illustrating book covers, prints, calendars and trading cards mainly with dragons. He is currently writing and illustrating his own books.

Mike CappsThe president of Epic Games during development of legendary videogame franchises Gears of War, Unreal, and Infinity Blade. Mike has a Ph.D. in Virtual Reality, and features on multiple Discovery/Science shows like What On Earth and NASA's Unexplained Files.

A.C. CharaniaA.C. Charania is an entrepreneurial engineer and technical innovator possessing who creates and advances new aerospace ventures for both commercial and government customers; helping to turn advanced concepts into reality. He has worked for multiple commercial space companies including Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic, Planetary Resources, Generation Orbit, and SpaceWorks.

Frank ConniffFrank Conniff is a comedy writer and performer who began his TV career writing for the Peabody award winning Comedy Central series Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K), where he also played "TV's Frank," the bumbling yet lovable mad scientist.

Bill CorbettBill Corbett is a former writer and performer for Mystery Science Theater 3000 on the Sci-Fi Channel, and previously on Comedy Central. He provided the second incarnation of the robot Crow and other strange characters, including the all-powerful but clueless alien The Observer, a.k.a. "Brain Guy."

Peter Capn' CutlerPeter Capn' Cutler cartoonist, illustrator, commercial artist, and comic book artist of Tiki Zombie, Hero Cats, and his own up and coming Beastie Bunch.

Jenn EllisJenn Ellis has a passion for making games and events that bring people together. She’s the producer of the games Phoenix:Dawn Command and Illimat. Jenn is the co-owner of Twogether Studios

Aaron FeverWriter and director Aaron Fever is the producer of the animated short film How the Whale Got His Throat, co-host of the comedy podcast Cabin Fever, and is a contributor at asitecalledFRED.com. He is also Irish...very, very Irish.

Chris FunkBest known as the multi-instrumentalist in the indie rock band The Decemberists, Chris Funk has recently developed the table top game Illimat with designer Keith Baker.

Mark GagliardiMark Gagliardi is best known for the viral hit Drunk History and his work on stage in The Thrilling Adventure Hour.

Dr. Pamela L. GayDr Pamela Gay is an astronomer, writer, and podcaster focused on using new media to engage people in science and technology. She works as the Director of Technology and Citizen Science at the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, where her biggest projects are CosmoQuest.org and the Astronomy Cast Podcast.

Stacey GordonStacey Gordon is a puppeteer and puppet builder in Phoenix, Arizona & operator of Puppet Pie, a puppet building studio. Stacey is a recent addition to Sesame Street's cast and is honored to portray Julia, Sesame Street's first character with Autism.

Chris GoreChris Gore is a comedian and writer who was a regular on G4TV's Attack of the Show where he did the popular DVDuesday segment. He is also the founder of Film Threat, the author of several movie books, writer/producer of the feature comedy My Big Fat Independent Movie.

Scott HarbenScott Harben is a photographer, sculptor, digital artist, painter, and director. He has worked on movie posters for Robert Rodriguez and Lions Gate. Clients include Lucasfilm, Boom Comics, Marvel, Hummer, Acura, Honda, Polaris, Terminix, American Airlines, and others. Scott is currently collaborating with Tim Bradstreet on Clive Barker's Hellraiser comic.

Kishore HariKishore Hari is a science communicator at UCSF. He directs the Bay Area Science Festival, hosts the podcast Inquiring Minds, serves as science correspondent for Adam Savage’s Tested.com, is science advisor to the LucasFilm Science and Star Wars Show, and was a lead of the March for Science.

Lea HernandezLea Hernandez comic book and webcomic creator, known primarily for working in a manga-influenced style, and for doing lettering and touch-ups on manga imports. She is the co-creator of Killer Princesses and the creator of Rumble Girls.

Gwendolyn F.M. KestrelGwendolyn Kestrel started working in the gaming industry in the mid-90s running small, regional conventions. Her career includes event management for Origins and GenCon, editing / game design for Wizards of the Coast, and adventure design for Frog God games. Most recently, freelancing for Undead Lab’s State of Decay.

Leighann LordLeighann Lord is a comedian, author, speaker and host. She was the NYC face of CFI’s African Americans for Humanism campaign. Leighann is a co-host on StarTalk with Neil de Grasse Tyson. Leighann has been seen on: Comedy Central, HBO, and The View.

Hal LublinOne of the creators and co-hosts of We Got This with Mark and Hal on the Maximum Fun Network, Hal Lublin is an accomplished actor and improviser. Best known as Steve Carlsberg on Welcome to Night Vale, Lublin also plays Wide Wale and Manolo on The Venture Brothers.

Todd McCaffreyNew York Times bestselling author Todd Johnson McCaffrey wrote his first science-fiction story at age twelve. He has published over a dozen novels and many shorter works.

Gates McFaddenGates McFadden is best known for portraying the character of Dr. Beverly Crusher in the television and film series Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Mikal MosleyMikal Mosley is an accomplished actor, costumer and professional wrestler. He has built costumes professionally for several celebrities and works as a Costumer for the WWE when needed.

Ande J. ParksAnde Parks has worked as a comic book artist for close to twenty years, inking titles such as Daredevil, Ant-Man, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Nightwing. He is best known for his four year stint on Green Arrow.

Mike PhirmanMike Phirman is a musician and comedian and original partner in "Hard 'n Phirm" with Chris Hardwick.

Ken PlumeKen Plume writes, does interviews, co-hosts podcasts, plots, and sings horribly. He runs FRED Entertainment (www.ASiteCalledFRED.com), where he hosts the interview series A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume.

Andy Price is the pencil and ink artist for the incredibly successful and record breaking My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic comic book from IDW Publishing.

Stephen W. RamsdenStephen Ramsden founded and directs the world's largest solar astronomy STEM program active in 27 countries.

Afua RichardsonAfua Richardson is a Native/African American comic creator best known for her work on Top Cow's genius. Richardson is the artist of Marvel's new Blade series, All Star Batman, and Attack on Titan's American anthology. She is the singer and flute player in the band Waking Astronomer.

John D. RingoJohn Ringo is an author of science fiction, military fiction and fantasy.

Don RosaFamous since the 1960’s for his vast comic book collection and fanzine activities, Don Rosa became internationally famous in 1987 when he began writing and drawing stories based on his favorite classic comics -- Carl Barks’ Uncle $crooge and Donald Duck which continue to be the best selling comics on Earth.

Symphony SandersSymphony Sanders is a Chicago-based fitness instructor and actress who voices Tamika Flynn in Welcome to Night Vale. Her first appearance was in the live show titled The Librarian.

Dan SchoeningDan Schoening has been a professional animator since 2000 and a professional comic book artist since 2011. He currently works for IDW on Ghostbusters, with previous work for Back to the Future, TMNT, and for Archie Comics on Sonic the Hedgehog and Mega Man.

Joseph ScrimshawJoseph Scrimshaw is a critically acclaimed comedian and writer. He is currently a contributing writer for RiffTrax.

Marina SirtisIt was Marina's portrayal of Deana Troi, the psychic counselor, for seven years on the series Star Trek: The Next Generation, as well as in the Star Trek feature films, that has brought her legions of fans throughout the galaxy.

Brent SpinerBrent Spiner is best known for his portrayal of the beloved android, Data, on the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Babs TarrBabs Tarr is the fan-favorite artist on DC Comics' Batgirl (for which she has been nominated for a 2015 Eisner Award), and has provided covers for Gotham Academy, Justice League, and Convergence: Superboy.

James UrbaniakJames Urbaniak provides the voice for Dr. Thaddeus Venture on The Venture Bros., as well as the Doctor's brother, Jonas Venture Junior, and the super-villain Phantom Limb.

Christian WaggonerChristian Waggoner is best known for his Star Wars and Disney Reflections series art!

Lisa WinterA roboticist since childhood, Lisa Winter has 20 years experience designing and building robots. She has competed in all U.S. Robot Wars and BattleBots competitions since 1996, including ABC’s BattleBots Season 1 and 2.

Derek YanigerDerek Yaniger is a toothless hillbilly. Born in the backwoods of Arkansas, he was raised on little more than pork rinds and corn squeezins. Derek still resides in the south, in Atlanta, Georgia.

Adam BerryAdam Berry is an executive producer and co-star of Kindred Spirits on TLC, with friend and paranormal partner Amy Bruni. He is also a former star of SYFY's hit show, Ghost Hunters, and contestant on Ghost Hunter's Academy.

Amy BruniAmy Bruni is the executive producer and co-star of Kindred Spirits, a hit TLC show that focuses on helping families who are dealing with paranormal experiences beyond their control. Former star of SYFY's Ghost Hunters, Amy also runs , a spirited travel business for paranormal enthusiasts.

Elly M BlakeElly Blake is the NYT bestselling author of Frostblood . After earning a BA in English literature, she held a series of seemingly random jobs before becoming a library assistant and writer. She lives in Southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and a Siberian Husky mix who definitely shows Frostblood tendencies.

Professor SatyreProfessor Satyre "also known as Mike Langford " is a versatile comedian, actor, writer, and director. The Prof's voice impressions -- ranging from Hitchcock to Daffy Duck " in his own wild parodies, such as "Waffle House of Frankenstein" and "Salvador Dollywood" have rocked con audiences for over a dozen years.

Erik S BurnhamErik Burnham is a writer/artist best known for his work on IDW's Ghostbusters series, TMNT, Back to the Future, and Galaxy Quest.

Charles Anthony ChiodoCharles Chiodo's television credits include, the revival of the Krofft's, Land of the Lost, their Amazing Live Sea Monkeys series, and Saban's Power Rangers and Ninja Turtle series. His feature credits include the cult classic Killer Klowns from Outer Space, Team America, Elf, and Dinner for Schmucks.

Edward ChiodoEdward Chiodo is the co-chairman and head of production at Chiodo Bros. Productions, Inc. He is responsible for new business development, client relations and the overall operations of this dynamic studio. He also serves as Executive Producer on all Chiodo Bros. projects.

Stephen ChiodoStephen Chiodo has established himself as a highly creative special effects director with an expertise in stop-motion animation. With an incredible passion for making fantastic images become a reality, Stephen has worked with such notable Hollywood directors as Tim Burton, Joe Dante, John Landis, Jon Faverau, Matt Stone, and Trey Parker.

Timothy J ClarkeTim Clarke has designed puppets for the Muppets and Dark Crystal (the Mystics, Slaves, Landstrider, and Crystal Bats). He has also worked on puppets for Sesame Street, Muppet Show, and Fraggle Rock for which he created Traveling Matt.

Guy DorianGuy Dorian has worked for Marvel and DC on books and trading cards. He is the artist of XMen: Apocalypse movie posters and Marvel Entertainment products, as well as Star Wars Comics to Color. Guy is co-creator of Scorch featured on Marvel's Agents of Shield.

Michael EklundMichael Eklund is known for disappearing into every role and radically transforming his look for each new character. Television appearances include guest starring or recurring roles on Altered Carbon, Wynona Earp, Gotham, Bates Motel Season 2, Continuum, Almost Human, Alcatraz, Fringe, Intelligence, and Battlestar Galactica.

Annie ErskineIonic Comics is an indie studio based in south central Kentucky. Annie Erskine, founder and lead artist of Ionic Comics and freelance illustrator for Cartoon Network, and writer Clint Waters are dedicated to producing content like the webcomic Variants: Stripes that provides representation for women and LGBTQIA+ people.

Keythe Charles FarleyKeythe Farley is best known for playing Thane Krios in Mass Effect (IGN Character of the Year) and Kellogg in Fallout 4. He's also casting and voice director for dozens of animated series and videogames including Rugrats and Final Fantasy XV. Keythe is also the co-author of Bat Boy: The Musical.

Michael GordonMichael Gordon is a writer, publisher, and podcaster. His creator-owned comic, Tiki Zombie, has been running for over half a decade. He can also be heard saying, “Howdy!” on the weekly Earth Station One podcast, as well as a number of other shows.

Travis J HansonTravis Hanson is an Eisner nominated fantasy illustrator with a huge imagination. His works include the ongoing comics Bean and Life of the Party and lot of fantasy RPG game works.

Lora InnesLora Innes was the artist on IDW’s Wynonna Earp comic book adaptation of Syfy’s hit television show. She remains as the series’ variant cover artist. Lora is also creator of The Dreamer webcomic, a historical fantasy about a teenager who begins having dreams about the American Revolution.

Daniel LoganDaniel Logan is best known for his portrayal of young Boba Fett from the 2002 film Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones where he was nominated for a Young Artist Award. Logan also voiced Fett in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

Shaun ManningShaun Manning is the creator and writer of Interesting Drug for BOOM! Studios / Archaia, Hell, Nebraska on Comixology, and the forthcoming Macbeth: The Red King for Lucha Comics. His work has appeared in Dark Horse Presents, Garbage Pail Kids, Top Shelf 2.0, and The Looking Glass Wars: Hatter M.

Amy T MebbersonAmy Mebberson is a professional comic artist, illustrator and designer. Amy works for Disney, Hasbro and spends far too much time at Disneyland.

Eric END NinaltowskiEric Ninaltowski is a top-notch professional freelance comic artist of 12 years who is most know for his comic work on Disney XD's Mighty Med TV show intro, as well as his work on numerous Marvel and DC sketch-cards. He has also done work on indie comics like Monomyth and Samson.

Jai NitzJai Nitz is an American comic book writer of Latino descent who has worked for DC, Marvel, and Disney. He co-created El Diablo who made his big screen debut in 2016's Suicide Squad.

James SilvaniJames Silvani is an artist for Disney comics such as Darkwing Duck, Duck Tales, and the Muppets. He is the author of DRAW-A-SAURUS: Everything You Need To Know To Draw Your Favorite Dinosaurs.

That Darling DJ DuoThat Darling DJ Duo are a little different, delightfully anachronistic and odd. They host the podcasts, The Clockwork Cabaret and Ladies Who Rant.

Toucan DubhToucan Dubh is known for fun, high-energy shows with audience involvement. Performing at renn faires, music festivals, and pubs, entertaining with Irish and Scottish music, Americana, and original comedy tunes, with plenty of jokes and banter to keep everyone smiling.

Widgett WallsWidgett Walls is the chief cook and bottle washer for Need Coffee Dot Com and writes fiction and other absurdities under the name John A. Robinson.

Mary Kate ButlerThe 'oil' in the well-oiled machine of Lunar Lander Development at NASA. She works to stretch tax payers' dollars as far as possible in the endeavors to put Lunar Landers on the Moon and even Mars.

Kim F HolecKim F. Holec is a former historical costumer who now recreates "Doctor Who" costumes. She is the Costume Track Director for Wholanta. She served as the Poetry Editor for Aphelion. She runs the Doctor Who cosplay forum on LiveJournal. Her favorite job was editorial assistant at a SF/Fantasy publisher.

Catherine Lee JonesCatherine Lee Jones runs GSTQ Fashions, a costume shop based out of Atlanta, GA. Her shop's work has been seen on SONY's Powers, NBC's Constantine, AMC's Preacher, and Netflix's True Memoirs of an International Assassin. Catherine's team has also done work for 2K Games, Hi-Rez Studios, Microsoft, and Blizzard.

Bonnie KunzelBonnie Kunzel, retired young adult librarian, is a nationally-known speaker at library, education and science fiction conferences. She presents seminars on What’s New in SF, Fantasy and the Paranormal, etc. Her professional works include Fluent in Fantasy: The Next Generation, and Strictly Science Fiction: A Guide to Reading Interests.

Steve BermanSteve Berman is an accomplished editor and author. His work is mainly queer speculative and young adult fiction. His novel, Vintage, was a finalist for the Andre Norton Award.

Matthew J. BrownMatthew J. Brown, Ph.D is a professional scholar of comics and popular culture and Associate Professor of Philosophy at The University of Texas at Dallas. He has presented at San Diego Comic-Con and has organized an academic conference at DragonCon since 2008.

Corey CastellanoCorey has been a professional makeup artist for over twenty years. His credits include: The X-Men spinoff "Gifted", Sleepy Hollow, Teen Wolf, Pirates of the Caribbean 2, 3, 4, Sarah Connor Chronicles, War of the Worlds, Quarantine, Fear Clinic, The Prestige, The Crazies, Zombieland, GI Joe, X-Men 3, Buffy, and many more.

Pamela A. ColePamela Cole is a professional Costumier, graduated from Goodman Theater- Chicago over 40 years ago and continues working with dance companies, movies, museums, reenactors, in the greater Atlanta area and is head of costuming for Atlanta’s Capitol City Opera Company. She has been involved with Dragon Con’s costume track from the beginning.

Susan FichtelbergSusan Fichtelberg is the author of Encountering Enchantment: A Guide to Speculative Fiction for Teens. The first edition was published in 2006 and the second in 2015 by Libraries Unlimited. She has presented programs on fantasy and science fiction for many national conferences and conventions including World Con and Dragon Con.

David Macinnis GillDavid Macinnis Gill is the author of the YA horror novel, Uncanny, as well as Soul Enchilada, Black Hole Sun, Invisible Sun, and Shadow on the Sun, all from HarperCollins.

Gabriel GonzalezGabe Gonzalez is a Game Designer for Red Crow, an Electronic Arts studio based out of Austin. His first role in the industry was designing features for Madden NFL. He now writes fart jokes for The Simpsons: Tapped Out.

Sean GunnSean Gunn is best known for his role on Gilmore Girls as the quirky Kirk Gleason and his work as Ravager Kraglin and motion reference actor for Rocket Raccoon in Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

Kali HolderDr. Kali Holder is a veterinary pathologist diligently combating potential pandemics and threats to endangered species for Smithsonian Global Health. With her diverse knowledge of horrific diseases and a cheerfully morbid imagination, she is the only known human who can win a game of Worst Case Scenario against WebMD.

Mahsati JananMahsati Janan specializes in modern and folkloric belly dance styles. Through her more than 20 year dance career, she has taught and performed at more than 150 workshops across the United States. Mahsati's dance classes and lectures emphasize technique, cultural context, and the historical folkloric derivations of modern belly dance.

Audrey KearnsAudrey Kearns is a writer, actor and producer. She founded the influential pop culture website, Geek Girl Authority for which she is editor-in-chief. She hosts and produces the podcasts Kneel Before Aud, Booze and Phasers, the live storytelling show, 5 Truths and a Lie and the upcoming Endling Anthology.

Bethany KeslerHistorian, writer, reader/reviewer, and all-around nerd of many fandoms, Bethany is currently working on a fairytale apocalypse novel as well as several short story pieces and book and show reviews for ThreeIfBySpace.net and Murderboarding Inc. under her pen name, DJ Gray.

Andrea Mast KesselWith over 20 years experience, Professional Makeup Artist, Andrea Mast Kessel, has worked in all genres of makeup application including theater, television, film, fashion, runway, editorial and commercial. Andrea teaches students nationwide how to create any look imaginable through the use of makeup, proper tools, tips and techniques.

Rebecca KimRebecca Kim serves as IT Manager and Information System Security Officer at NASA’s Marshall Space and Flight Center. Rebecca is an expert-level advisor to the Human Exploration Development & Operations Office in the formulation, development, implementation, management, and oversight of Agency mission critical IT strategy, policy, systems, and services.

Laura LevyLaura Levy is an engineering psychology at Georgia Tech specializing in the psychology of design for video games and novel technologies. Laura “fights for the user” by designing and scientifically validating technology from the human perspective in order to make it more intuitive, helpful, and playful to use.

John LotshawJohn Lotshaw is an Atlanta-based cartoonist and podcaster. He is the host of Full Tilt Nerdity, Movies of Mass Distraction, and edits Random Acts of Nancy.

Peter MayhewPeter Mayhew plays Chewbacca in the original Star Wars trilogy and most recently in Episode VII: The Force Awakens.

KJ McCormickKJ McCormick has been a paranormal investigator for over 25 years, traveling to infamous locations across the globe. A member of The Atlantic Paranormal Society, KJ stars on SyFy’s hit paranormal reality series Ghost Hunters, visiting numerous, reportedly haunted locations. He has become a highly respected paranormal investigator and lecturer.

Joseph Edward MeanyDr. Joseph Meany, the Crimson Alkemist, is a chemist from Atlanta, GA. In 2017, he published a book with another DragonCon guest, physicist Les Johnson, on the new super-material graphene. Dr. Meany is a consultant by day, and avid futurist by night. He volunteers with the Tennessee Valley Interstellar Workshop.

Bob NovellaBob Novella is a co-founder and Vice-President of the New England Skeptical Society. He co-hosts the Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe podcast.

Michael RookerMichael Rooker is best known as the blue-skinned alien Yondu Udonta in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy, a role he has reprised in the 2017 summer blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. He is also well known as the character fans loved to hate on AMC's The Walking Dead, Merle Dixon.

Kevin StallardKevin is a 30-year veteran of the Information Security business and is currently CEO of Validentity, a company dealing with online fraud and harassment in the video game industry.

Celestia N. WardCelestia Ward, cartoonist and illustrator, has lent her talents to the webcomic "Astounding Tales of Science" and to skeptical publications such as Skeptical Inquiry and Skeptical Briefs. Her design work also promotes skeptical podcasts and Facebook pages, and she serves as content producer for the podcast "Squaring the Strange."

Jay LittleJay Little is an award-winning game designer whose work includes X-Wing Miniatures, the Star Wars Roleplay line, Wiz-War, and Cosmic Encounter. He speaks across the country about the design and industry side of gaming. Jay also teaches game design, board game production, and critical thinking at UW-Stout in Menomonie, Wisconsin.

Brianne MarieBrianne Marie is co-owner and co-producer of the Dungeons and Randomness podcast, and co-host of the Morning Theria podcast. Both of these she does alongside her best friend Jason Massey.

Jason MasseyJason Massey is co-owner and co-producer of the Dungeons and Randomness podcast, and co-host of the Good Morning Theria podcast. Both of these he does alongside his best friend Brianne Marie.

David Thorn WenzelDavid Wenzel, is recognized as the artist, who adapted J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit into a full color graphic novel. It is the only official graphic novel recognized by the Tolkien Estate. He worked for Marvel and D.C. and illustrated The Wizard's Tale, by Kurt Busiek, for IDW.

Roxanne StarrRoxanne Starr is a graphic designer and comic book letterer. A pioneer of digital lettering, she worked on projects which spanned the entire comic book industry. Her publishers have included Marvel, Dark Horse, and Image as well as Caliber, Malibu and Paradox Press.

Jack H. WalshJack Walsh is a public television producer and writer, best known for his Emmy-winning work on “Cosplay! Crafting a Secret Identity,” “Four Days at Dragon Con,” and “Get Delicious!”

April M BorcheltApril is a 2D illustrator working on Paladins at Hi-Rez Studios. Her past clients include Nickelodeon and Puzzles By Joe. Her personal work is exhibited in galleries around Atlanta and has been published in GameInformer Magazine and featured in multiple children's books.

Matt FrankMatt Frank, the "Kaiju King," having been an artist for IDW's Godzilla comics since 2011. His work includes Godzilla: Legends, Godzilla: Rulers of Earth, and Godzilla: Rage Across Time. As a Transformers artist, Matt worked with IDW and Fub Publications, including Mars Attacks The Transformers, Spotlight: Trailcutter, and the Raptoricons.

Larry HamaLarry Hama is a comic book writer, artist, actor and musician who has worked in the fields of entertainment and publishing since the 1960s. He is best known to American comic book readers as a writer and editor for Marvel Comics, where he wrote the licensed comic book series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero.

Blair B. ChintellaAn attorney knowledgeable about surveillance, copyright, and a litany of other issues. Once asked by the FBI to spy on his fellow college students, he now speaks on a variety of important issues.

Valerie HamptonDr. Valerie Hampton is a history professor, author, who founded the American Society for Neo-Medievalism, speaking often at academic conferences on the intersection between popular fantasy and history. Writing Urban Fantasy and Horror. She has a Film degree and is an associate producer for the film Star of the Guardians.

Sascha IllyvichRomance author Sascha Illyvich has been published with various e-houses over the last 18 years, is also an editor and trained speaker, focusing on craft.

Michael RosenbaumMichael Rosenbaum is a film and TV actor, producer, and comedian. He is known for his performance as Lex Luthor on the Superman television series Smallville, a role that TV Guide included in their 2013 list of "The 60 Nastiest Villains of All Time." Michael will be a co-host at the Night at the Aquarium event.

Madeleine RouxNew York Times Bestselling Author of ASYLUM, Allison Hewitt Is Trapped, Sadie Walker Is Stranded & the new YA series, House of Furies.

CruxshadowsOne of the most notable Dark-wave bands internationally, The Crüxshadows' motto is "live, love, be, believe," and it serves as a reminder that while The Crüxshadows may write catchy songs, the band has depth that extends beyond the dance floor.

E.K. JohnstonE.K. Johnston is the author of New York Times bestseller Star Wars: AHSOKA, and other critically acclaimed YA books.

Henry GilroyHenry Gilroy is a television screenwriter and producer. He is best known for co-writing the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. From an early age, Gilroy loved comic books and animation. Gilroy is also the author of several Star Wars comic books and the first Bionicle trilogy.

Joe HarrisJoe Harris is the co-creator and writer of original comics and graphic novels such as the hot, new Image Comics series, Rockstars and the hit science fiction titles, Snowfall and Great Pacific; along with the supernatural thrillers, Ghost Projekt and Spontaneous.

Megan HutchisonMegan Hutchison is an illustrator of Rockstars for Image, co-creator and illustrator of An Aurora Grimeon Story: Will O’ the Wisp for Archaia and is debuting OGN Vesna. In addition, she is a cover artist for Boom!, Valiant, and Black Mask.

William Alan WebbBill is an Active member of SFWA, #1 bestseller on Amazon Australia and published military historian. He draws of the many illustrations for his fantasy work and has seven books on the schedule for 2017. A lifetime in sales and marketing has served him well in his publishing career.

Michael George WilliamsMichael G. Williams is an award-winning author of novels and short stories in the horror, paranormal fantasy, and science fiction genres. Michael's best-known works are The Withrow Chronicles and The Shadow Council Archives: Emperor Norton, both from Falstaff Books. He's also a game developer, gamer, wisecracker, activist, and podcaster.

Luciana CarroLuciana Carro is a Toronto-born actress known for her dramatic and comedic roles on American television and feature films. She is best known as Louanne "Kat" Katraine on Battlestar Galactica.

Richard HarmonRichard Scott Harmon is best known for his role as John Murphy in CW's The 100. Harmon is also known for his roles as Jasper Ames in the The Killing and Julian Randol on Continuum. Harmon received critical praise for his role in the movie If I Had Wings.

Hawthorn and HollyHawthorn & Holly are a pop punk band that plays songs about Harry Potter and other fandoms. Started in 2007 from Charlotte, North Carolina, Leah Schroeder and Christie Mowery weave gorgeous harmonies with Eddie Mowery on guitars, while Dave Beaucar slaps the bass.

Bill BridgesBill Bridges is a writer and game designer, most known for developing White Wolf’s World of Darkness setting and HDI’s Fading Suns science-fiction universe.

Darwin BromleyDarwin P Bromley is a game designer known for Empire Builder. Darwin co-founded Mayfair Games in 1981 and was the its President from 1982 to 1997. Darwin led Mayfair as it published its train games, card games, and RPGs (RoleAids, DC Heroes). Darwin started Mayfair re-publishing games from Europe, including Settlers of Catan.

Maribeth GandyMaribeth Gandy is a Principal Research Scientist at GT and a three-time graduate, receiving a Ph.D., M.S., and a B.S. in CS/Cmpe. She is the Director of the Interactive Media Technology Center, whose work focuses on mobile & wearable computing, augmented & virtual reality, gaming, and health systems.

Nick EdelsteinThe captain of Trek Rock is back! Set faces to stun with the electric guitar wizardry and lyric wit of Nick Edelstein. Described by Performer Magazine as "dazzling, mesmerizing ... breathtaking guitar work," Nick has been igniting starbases across the galaxy for two decades.

Ben ArmstrongThis twisted horror show host has an Emmy nomination for Tales from 6 Feet Under and a Telly Award for The True Netherworld Story of the Harvestman. In recent years he has hosted many events and spent his spare time creating evil scenarios and vile experiences for Netherworld Haunted House.

Keith Cotter-ReillyHe is the head instructor for the Atlanta Freifechter group. They are a Historical European Martial Arts group that predominately studies Longsword fencing of the German Tradition. He has taught workshops at several of the HEMA events in the USA.

Paige GardnerPaige Gardner is an award-winning costume designer whose unique masks, bizarre props and eccentrically original costumes make her art recognizable world-wide. Gardner’s high-profile costume projects are exhibited across the U.S. and are regularly featured in multiple media channels as well as bestselling books on Steampunk and cosplay.

Joe GranatoJoe Granato is a filmmaker, game developer, musician, and fantasy novelist. His film, the New 8-bit Heroes, explores the development of a brand new fantasy game for the original Nintendo Entertainment System. The project has been featured on ABC’s The Goldbergs, lauded by USA Today, and featured on IGN.

K. M. HerkesK. M. Herkes is a full-time author, part-time gardener, and occasional baker. Butterfly wrangling and kitchen chemistry also rank high on her list of interests. Professional development has included teaching, animal training, aquaculture, horticulture, retail operations, and customer service. Personal development is ongoing. Cats are involved.

James A. HunterJames A. Hunter is an active member of the SFWA and a full-time novelist with nine titles currently available. He is the author of the Yancy Lazarus series (Urban Fantasy), The Golem Chronicles (Urban Fantasy), and The Viridian Gate Archives (Epic Fantasy/litRPG).

Talloolah LoveTalloolah Love celebrates her sixth year producing The Dragon Con Burlesque Glamour Geek Revue. As a lifetime nerd and 15 year burlesque veteran, she really knows how to put on a show! She is a multi-title winning performer, producer, part-owner and teacher at Atlanta's only school for burlesque, The Atlanta School of Burlesque!

Corvis NocturnumEric R. Vernor, best known to his fans under the pen name Corvis Nocturnum, has written more than thirty books. His research includes subjects such as the occult, vampire lore, and the paranormal. Mr. Vernor has also been a consultant for 2010’s A&E’s Paranormal State.

Meredith RoseMeredith Rose is a public interest policy geek defending consumer rights in the digital age in Washington, DC. She works extensively on copyright, telecommunications, and tech policy issues. She’s also a gamer and cheerleader for fandom who works on mobilizing fan communities to take part in national policy debates.

Susan Leigh SpencerSusan Spencer is a patternmaker and fashion/costume designer, and former network security analyst. She has developed groundbreaking techniques to produce custom-fitted patterns by hand and with software. She is the Product Manager for Valentina free open source pattern software (valentina-project.org), and is Costume Track director for Anachrocon.

Anthony TaylorAnthony Taylor is an author, screenwriter, and film historian from Atlanta, GA. His books include The Future Was FAB: The Art of Mike Trim and Arctic Adventures! An Official Thunderbirds Original Novel. His work has appeared in Famous Mosnters, Fangoria, Screem, SFX, and many other magazines.

Christina N. KiefferAlong with Christina's background in Biology/Ecology, she has 10 years of experience in the paranormal. She is an investigator with Paranormal Georgia Investigations and is the co-host of The Aymerich Show with Will Aymerich.

Courtney LytleCourtney Lytle is a practicing attorney and an Adjunct Professor at Emory University School of Law. She is the author of a law school text book on Intellectual Property and several academic articles which are not as boring as they sound. Ms. Lytle represents artists, authors and start-up companies.

Jasmine Becket-GriffithJasmine Becket-Griffith is a world-renowned artist working in the fantasy, pop surrealism, and new contemporary genres. Her Strangeling lines of merchandise, projects with companies such as Disney, Lucasfilm and the Bradford Exchange, and the extensive fine art gallery showings of her original acrylic paintings make her a fan favorite!

Tom BiondolilloTom Biondolillo is currently co-creating a graphic novel adaption of Frenzy (Hyperion/Disney)- a fanged and furry summer camp horror- with author Rob Lettrick. For 20 years, Tom's worked as a comic artist, illustrator, concept artist, and storyboard artist for comics, cards, toys, RPGs, video games for well known companies.

Amanda ConnerAmanda Conner is an American comic book artist and commercial art illustrator. She began her career in the late 1980s for Archie Comics and Marvel Comics, before moving on to contribute work for Claypool Comics' Soulsearchers and Company and Harris Comics' Vampirella in the 1990s. Amanda's current work can be seen in Harley Quinn and Starfire monthly for DC Comics.

Adam CroasdellAdam Croasdell is a film, TV & voice actor who's worked with Alan Rickman on the West End. He starred as Baldur in Supernatural, Hook's father in Once Upon A Time, is Bothwell on Reign. For video games he's Torvin in Middle Earth: Shadow Of Mordor & Ignis Scientia in Final Fantasy XV.

Larry FlaxmanBest selling author and researcher, Larry Flaxman, is on a mission to inform, empower, and entertain those fascinated by the paranormal. Flaxman has appeared on the Discovery Channel’s “Ghost Lab” as well as the History Channel’s popular shows “Ancient Aliens” and “Time Beings: Extreme Time Travel Conspiracies.”

Chandra FreeChandra Free is the artist/writer/creator behind the dark fantasy graphic novel series, The God Machine. She's the creator of the comics SKIN and Matilda TIKI, an illustrator on books like MADNESS, Fraggle Rock, and the Graphic Canon; and colorist for Mice Templar and Sullengrey.

Josh GreathouseJosh Greathouse has been a comic artist since 2009. Working on such properties as the Regular Show, Looking for a Group, and Jason & The Argonauts.

RJ HaddyYou may have seen RJ Haddy on SyFy's Face Off, season 2 (where he was runner up) and season 5, or the spin off show, Foxy & Co. You've definitely seen him conducting makeup workshops at Dragon Con. RJ specializes in elaborate self-made cosplay.

Tom HeintjesTom Heintjes is the co-founder and publisher of the Eisner Award-winning Hogan's Alley magazine, one of the leading magazines on contemporary and classic cartooning. He is a former managing editor of The Comics Journal and for years wrote biographical essays for Will Eisner’s Spirit magazine for Kitchen Sink Press.

Comfort LoveComfort and Adam are the award nominated duo responsible for The Uniques and Rainbow in the Dark, and The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing Comics (Random House). In 2017 they will continue their work on The Uniques as well as releasing the collected addition of their first webcomic, Kitty Game.

James A. MooreJames A. Moore is the best selling, award winning author of over 40 novels, is one of the hosts of Three Guys with Beards podcast, and has worked in comics and role playing games as well. Forthcoming novels include Alien: Devil inside and The Last Sacrifice.

Sabutai MusashiSubatai Musashi is the current Grandmaster of Ninkage ryu bujutsu; a Japanese martial arts system that includes bare-handed study such as Aikijutsu, weapons study, such as Kenjutsu and Iaijutsu, and internal arts. Grandmaster Musashi and his students have provided exciting demonstrations of Ninkage ryu at DragonCon since 2005.

Chloe NeillNew York Times best-selling author of the Chicagoland Vampires, Devil's Isle, and Dark Elite novels.

Jimmy PalmiottiJimmy Palmiotti is a multi award winning character creator with a wide range of experience in advertising, production, consulting, editorial, film writing, development and production, media presentation and video game development. His current work includes: Harley Quinn and Starfire for DC Comics, The Con Job for Boom!, and he currently has three feature films in development: Painkiller Jane, Random Acts of Violence, and Killing Time In America.

Christopher PaoliniChristopher Paolini is the award-winning and best-selling author of the Inheritance Cycle: Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, and Inheritance. The Official Eragon Coloring Book, illustrated by Ciruelo, was just published this spring.

Rachel PendergrassRachel Pendergrass is a writer, humorist, and science communicator. She hosts the quirky and fun internationally touring Solve for X Science Variety Show. Her writing can be seen on McSweeneys, National Lampoon, Redbook, HowStuffWorks, Eater, Martha Stewart Living, and the ever-beloved Dragon Con TV.

Tony ShasteenTony Shasteen was the illustrator behind the Talisman graphic novel, co-written by Stephen King and Peter Straub, and 12 Gauge/Image Comic’s The Occult Crimes Taskforce (the O.C.T.), co-created by David Atchison and Rosario Dawson.

Kevin SorboKevin Sorbo rose to international stardom in the title role of the hit series, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, but has become equally well known as Dylan Hunt in the science fiction series, Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda.

Adam WithersComfort and Adam are the award nominated duo responsible for The Uniques and Rainbow in the Dark, and The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing Comics (Random House). In 2017 they will continue their work on The Uniques as well as releasing the collected addition of their first webcomic, Kitty Game.

Kelly YatesKelly Yates is an illustrator best known for his work on Doctor Who with both IDW and Titan Comics. In addition, his writes and illustrates the creator-owned books, Amber Atoms and MonstHer.

Davey BeauchampDavey Beauchamp is an artist, writer, podcaster, and librarian. His art has been used by BBCA, the Geek Gala, and GnomeCon. He has now started working on book covers. Davey is currently working on artwork for Penguin UK/BBC Children's Books for their Doctor Who the Illustrated Adventures. The two Doctor Who adventures he has illustrated are Robot, the first Tom Baker adventure as the 4th Doctor, and Black Orchid featuring Peter Davison the 5th Doctor.

Shawn BoettnerShawn is constantly searching and questing for the truth regarding the paranormal and the existence of sasquatch. He is an investigator with Paranormal Georgia Investigations and a Georgia law enforcement officer.

Clint BrownleeClint Brownlee (Charter Member, Director, Trainee Coordinator) – Clint became interested in paranormal activity during high school. This interest came from personal experiences and questions about the world in which we live.

Nancy CappsNancy Capps is a proud country girl who investigates, as she puts it, "haints." Her equipment case is full of trigger objects, technology, and snacks. She is the Case Manager for Paranormal Georgia Investigations.

Heather DobsonHeather is a nine-year veteran of the Atlanta paranormal community as co-founder of Paranormal Georgia Investigations. She is a scientist, mother, wife, blogger, and writer.

Jordan T. DuncanJordan is one of the co-founders of Paranormal Georgia Investigations and is a nine-year veteran of the Atlanta paranormal community. He is a historian, researcher, podcaster, and part-time blogger.

Kevin EldridgeKevin Eldridge produces and hosts The Flopcast, a weekly podcast covering various geek-friendly subjects for the ESO Broadcast Network, and is the author of a science fiction story in this year’s ESO anthology. He is an organizer for Boston Skeptics, and hosts their monthly Skeptics in the Pub events.

Taylor C FischerTC Fischer is a concept artist in the video game industry for near 10 years, working on titles such as Elderscrolls Online, Xcom, and Civilization 5 and 6, and as well in book form for Paizo Publishing's Pathfinder and Starfinder series.

Chris A. JacksonWriter, sailor, gamer, and scientist Chris A. Jackson has written over 20 fantasy novels for game publishers and small presses. Recent works include Pirate’s Curse, from Paizo, Watery Graves, from Privateer Press, and Weapon of Mercy for his own imprint, Jaxbooks. He’s been sailing and writing full time since 2009.

Gwen PearsonGwen Pearson is a professional entomologist working at Purdue University. She also writes as a freelance science writer for WIRED Science, the Washington Post, Science, and other news outlets. She calls herself an insect evangelist because her mission is to help everyone discover they love bugs.

Dacre Calder StokerDacre Stoker is the great grand-nephew of Bram Stoker and the best-selling co-author of Dracula the Un-Dead (Dutton, 2009), the official Stoker family endorsed sequel to Dracula. Dacre is also the co-editor of The Lost Journal of Bram Stoker: The Dublin Years (Robson Press, 2012).

Dane AultDane Ault is the artist and illustrator behind Monkey Minion Press. He is a space/science artist, pop-culture propagandist and designerd. MMP published Eureka: The Art of Science in 2016 via a super successful Kickstarter.

Mark BagleyMark Bagley is an American comic book artist. He has worked for Marvel Comics and DC Comics on such titles as The Amazing Spider-Man, Thunderbolts, New Warriors, and Ultimate Spider-Man.

Mark Dos SantosMark Dos Santos comic credits include A Train Called Love from Dynamite Entertainment, Imperial for Image Comics, Fall of Cthulhu, and Eureka for Boom Studios. In the literary world h has illustrated Icarus, A Hero By Any Other Name Vol. 1 & 2 and Apollo’s Daughters from Silence in the Library.

Claire M. EddyClaire Eddy is a senior editor at Tor/Forge Books and has been with the company for over 30 years, focusing primarily in science fiction and fantasy.

Andrew E.C. GaskaAuthor Andrew E.C. Gaska is a franchise consultant to Fox on Aliens and Planet of the Apes, founder/creative director of the guerrilla integrated media studio BLAM! Ventures. His graphic novel and prose work include Critical Millennium, Space:1999, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, and Planet of the Apes.

Bill HolbrookBill Holbrook creates three comic strips: On the Fastrack and Safe Havens which are syndicated by King Features, and the internet's longest-running daily webcomic Kevin & Kell which debuted in 1995.

Kathryn HudsonKathryn Hudson is a comic artist for DreamWorks Trolls, character designer on Fxx's Archer, and freelance illustrator

Travis Scott MerrillWorking as an Ager/Dyer and member of Iatse local 479, Travis "Scott" Merrill has worked on some very large movies and tv shows.You can see his work in Stranger Things, Macgyver (2017), Guardians of the Galaxy 2, and in some very large upcoming Marvel Productions .

Dean MotterAs both designer, and art director Dean has created a multitude of award-winning book and record covers, from Ray Bradbury to Motorhead. As a graphic novelist he is best known for Terminal City, The Prisoner, Batman: Nine Lives, and his seminal creation, Mister X (now in it's fourth decade.)

Andy RuntonAndy is the creator of the breakout all-ages series of graphic novels, Owly, starring a little owl who's always searching for new friends. Relying on a mixture of symbols and expressions to tell his silent stories, Runton's heartwarming style has made him a favorite of both fans and critics alike.

American Murder SongA performance of original murder ballads by Terrance Zdunich and Saar Hendelman, the star of Repo! The Genetic Opera, and songwriters of The Devil's Carnival. Hitch yer wagons, don yer blackest veils, and explore a rogues gallery of cutthroats, murderesses and killer songs.

Claudia GrayClaudia Gray is the New York Times best-selling author of multiple young adult paranormal and science fiction novels, including the Evernight series and the Firebird series. She is also the author of Star Wars tie-in novels Lost Stars and the best-selling Bloodline.

Tom SmithOne man, one guitar. Mostly comedy, mostly folk-rock, except for all the other stuff. Tom Smith is uplifting, inclusive, topical, pretty much guaranteed to be goofy. Audience participation welcome.

Frank TieriFrank Tieri is a comic book writer. He has written New Excalibur, Wolverine, Underworld, a post Avengers Disassembled Hercules mini-series, Wolverine/Darkness, Dracula vs. Apocalypse, Civil war: War crimes, as well as World War Hulk: Gamma Corps for Marvel Comics.

Aurelio VoltaireAurelio Voltaire is a media personality and respected authority on all things gothic, horror, sci-fi, steampunk, and involving "geek" culture. He is often referred to as a modern day renaissance man having achieved success in the fields of animation, music, comics, books, and toys.

KyL T CobbKyL T. Cobb is an adventurer, a historian, a demonologist-paranormal investigator and an author. Having explored 59 countries and studied 22 religions, Cobb loves unraveling the unknown. Cobb’s paranormal textbook Ghost and Demons: The Lost Things arrived in 2015. Subsequently, he published The Truth of the Bell Witch and Disturbed Destinations.

Richard EstepRichard Estep is the author of seventeen books, most in the field of paranormal research. His investigating and publishing career spans 21 years and both sides of the Atlantic. Several of his best cases are featured on the TV show "Haunted Case Files," currently airing on the Destination America channel.

Paul BlackthorneBritish born actor Paul Blackthorne will be returning to primetime TV this fall for a third season as Quentin Lance on the CW’s hit series Arrow.

Willa HollandWilla Holland is an American actress, voice actress, and model. She is best known for her role as Thea Queen / Speedy in Arrow.

James Mathis IIIJames Mathis III is currently the voice of Black Panther in Marvel's Avengers Assemble. Other animation credits include Star Wars:The Clone Wars, Ben 10, WordGirl, Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., pop culture classic Celebrity Deathmatch, and the anime film Ironman: Rise of Technovore.

Dina MeyerDina Meyer is perhaps best known for her roles in Starship Troopers and the SAW franchise films. Her role in the cyberpunk thriller Johnny Mnemonic was perhaps her earliest breakthrough performance.

Patrick MuldoonPatrick Muldoon is perhaps best known for his role in the 1997's hit Starship Troopers which celebrates its 20th Anniversary this year. Since then, he continues to star in many television movies for the Lifetime & Hallmark Channels.

Casper Van DienCasper Van Dien's breakthrough role was as the lead in Paul Verhoeven's sci-fi film Starship Troopers which celebrates its 20th Anniversary this year.

Jon BoutelleJon Boutelle has been hosting and producing podcasts for over 12 years. He’s a host of 50 Days of Dragon Con, a podcast dedicated to the directors, staff, and culture of Dragon Con. He can also be found on Need Coffee's Weekend Justice and The Unique Geek.

Tyra A BurtonTyra Burton is a social media strategist and co-author of Socially Engaged: The Author’s Guide to Social Media. An award-winning professor, Tyra teaches at Kennesaw State University and is a frequent workshop presenter and panelist on topics including social media, education, gaming, and gender and sexuality in pop culture.

Gennie GebhartGennie does research and advocacy for the Electronic Frontier Foundation on consumer privacy, surveillance, and security issues. Her work revolves around the conviction that, as access to information and communication technologies expands and becomes more complex, so too do threats to user security and privacy.

Aleta PardalisAleta Pardalis has been designing and creating costumes for over 15 years and has specialized in Steampunk designs for the last 8 years. She has also been a costuming guest and panelist at various events.

Peter AbrahamsonPeter Abrahamson is a builder of animatronic puppets and robots. His work includes movies such as Men in Black II, Hellboy and I Robot. Peter also competed in Robot Wars, Battlebots, and Sozbots, and judged Robogames. Currently he designs industrial robotics and is a producer on ABC's BattleBots.

Linda BallantyneLinda Ballantyne is best known as the voice of the long running animated series Sailor Moon. She continues to work in animation with roles on shows as; George of the Jungle, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That, Gundalian Invaders, Care Bears, and The Avengers animated series.

Peter DavidPeter David is a prolific author whose career, and continued popularity, spans nearly two decades. He has worked in every conceivable media: Television, film, books (fiction, non-fiction and audio), short stories, and comic books, and acquired followings in all of them

Larry ElmoreLarry Elmore is one of the world's leading fantasy artists. His works have graced the covers of National Lampoon, Heavy Metal, and Dragon magazine, among others. He is best known for his covers for the original Dragonlance novels.

Jill FrappierJill Frappier is known for voicing Luna in the hit animation series Sailor Moon, Mrs. Prysselius in Pippi Longstocking, and Fifi in Hello Kitty and Friends. She appeared in television & movies such as Friday the 13th: The Series, The Dating Guy, TekWar, The Twilight Zone, and The Hitchhiker.

Katie GriffinKatie Griffin has been a professional actor, voice actor and singer for over 20 years. Best known as Raye/Sailor Mars on the hit show Sailor Moon, she's also known for her portrayal of Alex on Totally Spies, Hikaru on Beyblade, Nina Harper on Braceface and Ruby on Max and Ruby.

Jim MahfoodJim Mahfood aka "Food One" is a muralist, comic book artist, painter, live art show rocker and drunken freestyler extraordinaire. He has been working professionally as an artist since 1997, amassing an impressive cult following across the globe. His comic book work includes: lllustrating filmmaker Kevin Smith's Clerks comics and illustrating various Spider-Man projects at Marvel Comics.

Garrett ReismanGarrett Erin Reisman is an American engineer and former NASA astronaut. He was a backup crew member for Expedition 15 and joined Expedition 16 aboard the International Space Station for a short time before becoming a member of Expedition 17.

Susan RomanSusan Roman is known for voicing the role of Lita/Sailor Jupiter in the anime series Sailor Moon. She is one of few voice actors to remain throughout the entire run of the series. Her other role was the voice of Melissa Raccoon from The Raccoons.

Doug DandridgeDoug Dandridge, an Amazon bestseller, has sold over 200K books online, and has hit number one in the UK on several occasions, top five US. He has over thirty books online, and has also been published in many anthologies. Doug has several future projects in the works with traditional publishers.

Kristin JacksonKristin Jackson is an accomplished print and web graphic designer, working both freelance and in the visual communications, set photography and social media aspects of the film industry. She is the Director of Communications for Frostbite Pictures.

DN LeeDanielle N. Lee is an outreach scientist who studies animal behavior and behavioral ecology. Dr. Lee studies the behavioral biology of small mammals across urban gradients. She is passionate about science outreach and is well known for her science promotion and outreach in social media.

David MaassDave Maass is a muckraker/noisemaker on the Electronic Frontier Foundation's activism team, covering police surveillance, free speech, transparency, and government accountability. Prior to joining EFF, he worked as investigative journalist for alt weeklies across the Southwest. He currently serves on the San Francisco Sunshine Ordinance Task Force.

Amie StepanovichAmie Stepanovich is the U.S. Policy Manager and Global Policy Counsel at Access Now, where she works at the intersection of human rights and technology.

Kirsten Z. CairnsStage director, public speaker and singer Kirsten Z Cairns is a senior staffer for TheOneRing.net. Seen at events as a panelist for TORn, performer, or interviewing Hobbit cast members, Cairns brings her knowledge of literature, music, theatre, and all things fantasy to all her interactions with fans and celebs!

Jamie ChambersJamie Chambers is an award-winning tabletop game designer who recently re-launched the classic Metamorphosis Alpha RPG, but is also known for his work on Dragonlance, Serenity, Battlestar Galactica, and Supernatural. He lives in north Georgia, constantly juggling projects great and small.

Thomas Michael GoftonThomas Gofton founded Lynnvander Studios producing the award-winning The Gamers films, Natural One and Hands of Fate. Thomas designed several tabletop games such as Albion’s Legacy, Galaxy Quest, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dragon Ball Z, The Terminator, and Cowboy Bebop before being published in Shadowrun: A World of Shadows.

Kim HarrisonKim Harrison, author of the New York Times #1 best selling Hollows series, was born in Detroit and lived most her life within an easy drive. Traditionally published, she’s written urban fantasy, YA, thrillers, and graphic novels, but she got her start with traditional fantasy under the name Dawn Cook.

Kathryn HindsKathryn Hinds is the author of The Healer’s Choice, an epic fantasy published by Dark Oak Press. She is also a poet, short-story writer, editor, and author of fifty-one nonfiction books, including the six-book series Creatures of Fantasy. She teaches English at the University of North Georgia.

Stan LeeStan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics. In collaboration with several artists, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he co-created Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Avengers, Iron Man, the Hulk, Thor, Daredevil, Doctor Strange, and many other fictional characters.

Nick MaleyOver the course of 54 movies Nick Maley has worked as a make-up artist, prosthetics designer, director of special make-up and creature effects, screenwriter, storyboard supervisor, and video director/producer. His credits include Star Wars, Superman I & II, The Shining, Flash Gordon, Krull, Lifeforce, Highlander, and many more.

Rob PaulsenRob Paulsen is an American voice actor who is well-known as Raphael in the older TMNT series and Donatello in the new TMNT series, Arthur in The Tick, the title role in The Mask, Max in Mighty Max, Carl Wheezer in Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius, and Jack in Danny Phantom.

Cherie PriestCherie Priest is the author of more than twenty books and novellas, including the new release Brimstone as well as haunted house thriller The Family Plot, acclaimed horror novel Maplecroft, and the award-winning Clockwork Century series. She's also an active member of George R. R. Martin’s Wild Cards Consortium.

Toni WeisskopfToni Weisskopf is the publisher of Baen Books. She has worked with such authors as David Weber, David Drake, Lois McMaster Bujold, Eric Flint, Wen Spencer, Larry Correia, and many others. With Josepha Sherman she compiled and annotated the definitive volume of subversive children’s folklore, Greasy Grimy Gopher Guts.

Michael BunkerMichael Bunker is a USAToday Bestselling author. Called the "father of Amish Sci-fi," Michael writes in many genres. In 2015, Variety announced that Michael had sold a film/tv option for his Amish Sci-Fi novel Pennsylvania to Jorgensen Pictures. JP is developing Pennsylvania for a feature film or Television series.

Heather KaczynskiHeather is an author of young adult speculative fiction. Her debut novel, Dare Mighty Things, is a near-future sci-fi about a girl who competes for a chance to go into space. It’s releasing on October 10, 2017 from HarperTeen, with a sequel coming Fall 2018.

Alistair Jerry KimbleAlistair Kimble is a Special Agent with the FBI, and has served in Los Angeles, D.C., and Denver. With Eric Flint, Alistair co-wrote Iron Angels, an urban fantasy with police procedural bones, which will be published by Baen Books in September 2017.

Lisa Manifold is a USA Today bestselling indie author of
paranormal and urban fantasy. Her series include The Realm, The Aumahnee Prophecy, Heart of the Djinn, and Sisters of the Curse, and in summer 2017, The Dragon Thief. She is Rocky Mountain
Fiction Writers 2016 Independent Writer of the Year.

Christi J. WhitneyChristi J. Whitney is the author of the YA urban fantasy series The Romany Outcasts, (HarperCollins/HarperVoyagerUK) which include the books Grey, Shadow, and Midnight. She has also written for the theater, including critiques and scripts, and has directed numerous productions for the stage.

Jim ButcherJim Butcher is the author of the Dresden Files, the Codex Alera, and his new steampunk series, the Cinder Spires. Jim currently resides mostly inside his own head, but his head can generally be found in his home town of Independence, Missouri.

Gary GianniGary Gianni is an Eisner and Spectrum award-winning illustrator. His comics include the Shadow, Batman, Indiana Jones, Tom Strong, and MonsterMen.

Michael HoganEverybody knows the XO, Colonel Saul Tigh, of the Battlestar Galactica! Michael Hogan has well over a hundred film TV and audio credits to his name.

Zach McGowanZach McGowan is currently playing the series regular role of Roan on the CW Hit show The 100 as well as Captain Charles Vane in the Michael Bay executive- produced STARZ original series Black Sails.

Petar Meseldzija2017 Art Show Guest of Honor Petar Meseldzija is a book artist and illustrator who is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest artists in the field of contemporary fantastic art.

Benjamin PercyBenjamin Percy writes the Green Arrow and Teen Titans series for DC Comics, and James Bond for Dynamite Entertainment. He made his comics debut in 2014, writing Batman for Detective Comics.

Rekha SharmaRekha Sharma was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She is an actress, known for The Core, Battlestar Galactica and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem.

Annie Stegg Gerard2017 Art Show Guest Judge Annie Stegg Gerard's art career began at 7 years old, when she had her first art show at her school. Since then, she has never stopped painting and has worked for clients across the world.

Tasya TelesTasya Teles was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is known for her work on The 100, Rogue, and Supernatural.

Karl UrbanKarl Urban is best known for playing éomer in the second and third installments of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy in Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness, Cupid and Julius Caesar in Xena: Warrior Princess, Vaako in The Chronicles of Riddick and Riddick, and Judge Dredd in the 2012 film Dredd. He recently played the main character John Kennex in the television series Almost Human.

Kate VernonKate Vernon boasts a strong resume of performances but is best known for her role in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica.

Larry CorreiaLarry Correia is a Dragon Award winning, New York Times bestselling author with Baen Books.

Nathan FillionNathan Fillion is an and voice actor best known for his role as Richard Castle on the ABC series Castle, as well as his earlier portrayal of the lead role of Captain Malcolm Reynolds in the television series Firefly and its feature film continuation, Serenity. Fillion will be appearing Friday only.

Trina RayTrina is an astronomer with the Cassini-Huygens Mission to Saturn (JPL/NASA). She coordinates the Titan opportunities and is the Science-Planning/Sequencing Team Deputy. She is also a newly named Investigation Scientist for the Mission to Europa and an active public speaker, invited to give many talks around the nation.

ShagJosh Agle (probably better known as Shag, a contraction of the last two letters of his first name and the first two letters of his last) is a painter, illustrator and designed working in Southern California.

S.M. StirlingS.M. Stirling published his first novel Snowbrother in 1984. In 1995 he moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico. He became an American citizen in 2004. His latest books were Prince John and The Sea Peoples, and next is And Carry a Big Stick (March 2018) all from Roc/Penguin.

Mark BarletMark Barlet is the executive director of the AbleGamers charity, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization helping people with disabilities play video games no matter their disabilities.

Katie CorrellK80 is a robotics engineer, puppeteer and enthusiastic dork living in Orlando Fl. Find out more at www.K80Bot.com.

Brian Lee DurfeeBrian Lee Durfee is the author of The Forgetting Moon and The Blackest Heart vol one & two of The Five Warrior Angels series published by Simon & Schuster's SAGA PRESS

Ali FisherAli Fisher is an editor in the Children’s and Young Adult Division of Tor/Forge Books.

Bruce GehweilerBruce Gehweiler is an author, speaker and writing and publishing coach. He is a prize winning author, a former award winning publisher and was the publishing coach for The Elf On the Shelf.

Karianne GottschalkKarianne was a contestant on the reality TV show, "Steampunk'd" by being involved with many artistic mediums and especially her skills with leather which reflect the steampunk style. She's been a leather worker for 10 years and specializes in leather masks which has won her many awards and publishings.

Jeffrey GrantJeff Grant is Senior VP of Research for Adult Swim, Boomerang, Cartoon Network and truTV. He oversees the teams responsible for research conducted in support of programming, marketing, digital/mobile, ad sales and gaming/consumer products across the four networks, with a specialty in generational research regarding Millennials and Plurals.

David J. HewittDavid J. Hewitt is a Propulsion Engineer at Dynetics, Inc. His job has him supporting various projects in the Space and Defense realms. Additionally, Mr. Hewitt participates in STEM educational outreach activities on behalf of his employer and gives talks about Space and Propulsion to the public.

Brett KingBrett is an award-winning steampunk maker, costumer, and convention organizer who presents fun, interactive panels that mix real history, alternate history, and fantastic props. Brett also teaches prop-making techniques. He is best known for his Arctic Explorer/Troll Hunter character, Gustaf Danielsson, and his work with automatons.

Jason R MerrillWhen asked to describe Jason R. Merrill, the word ‘Dapper’ is the inevitable answer. After having Victorian style clothing made for his wedding in 1999, he embraced his inner peacock and hasn’t looked back. Jason started Blackbird Finery in 2013, providing vintage and reproduction Gentlemen’s Accessories to a modern audience.

Sam SykesSam Sykes is a fantasy author and comics writer. He has written the Aeons' Gate trilogy, The Bring Down Heaven trilogy and, most recently, Brave Chef Brianna.

Constance G. J. WagnerConstance G.J. Wagner, writer, editor, and Tolkien scholar, has spoken regularly on all things Middle-earth at both academic and fan-friendly events nationally and internationally since 2005. She is currently at work on a book about Frodo as sacrificial hero and a chapbook of fantasy and faerie-themed poetry.

Dr. Charles E. GannonFive-time Fulbrighter Charles Gannon’s best-selling Caine Riordan sci-fi novels were all Nebula finalists. While working on the forthcoming Broken World fantasies, he collaborates with Eric Flint and appears in various anthologies.

Richard Lord British Garriott de CayeuxRichard “Lord British Garriott is a founding father of both the video game industry and commercial spaceflight industry. He is the originator of the massively-multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) genre through his pioneering Ultima series and is the first 2nd generation American astronaut.

Kevin GrazierDr. Kevin Grazier is a planetary physicist specializing in the early Solar System. He was the science advisor for the TV series Eureka, Defiance, and Battlestar Galactica, as well as the movies Gravity, and Pirates of the Caribbean 5. He is also the co-author of the Hollyweird Science series of books and is a writer/producer on the animated edutainment series Space Kids, currently in production.

Mike HornerMike Horner is a professional puppeteer and puppet builder and is the Artistic Director of Kansas City’s Mesner Puppet Theater. Mike is a fixture at pop culture conventions across the country with his puppet parodies of Star Wars and Doctor Who.

Mika McKinnonMaster of Disaster and scientist for fiction Mika McKinnon gleefully interjects science anywhere it can fit and a few places it doesn't.

Jody Lynn NyeJody Lynn Nye has written dozens of books and over 150 short stories, most of them with a humorous bent. Her latest books are Rhythm of the Imperium, Moon Beam, and Myth-Fits. She also teaches the annual Dragon Con Two-Day Writers Workshop.

Randal L. SchwartzRandal L. Schwartz is a published author, corporate trainer, and podcaster, and best known for his FLOSS Weekly podcast (now in its 10th year), covering open source projects and people.

Jonathan Tarbox“Jake” Tarbox spent most of his adult life in Japan, working as a media manager and television personality. After working at Coamix Inc. as senior editor of Raijin Comics, he took the position of Group Editor at DC Comics. He now runs Arashi Productions.

Michael Z. WilliamsonMichael Z. Williamson is a best selling and award winning author of science fiction, and a #1 Amazon bestseller in political humor. A veteran of the US Army and USAF, he also consults to private clients and TV and movie productions.

Mary AbreuAuthor Mary Abreu juggles writing sewing books with her work as a seamstress for film and TV productions and teaching sewing to people of all ages.

Christopher James AhrendtChris has always had a love of the Victorian esthetic and literature. Many of the time-periods require custom made items, so the choices were to either make it or find someone to custom make it. So in a sense Chris has been cosplaying in a sense for over 25 years.

Lauren BrownLauren brown is currently a Lead Environment Artist at Electronic Arts Mobile. She is experienced in both the animation and games industry, and has worked on various projects, such as Archer, The Simpsons tapped out, and The League.

Kelly E CerconeKelly Cercone is a freelance costumer based in LA; sewing and pattern drafting for TV&Film (Thor Ragnarok, Westworld, American Horror Story). In 2015 she won judges choice at the Her Universe Fashion Show, subsequently teaming up with McCalls creating a line of patterns

Julie FoosheeJulie is a student in science communication and public engagement as well as a professional in the world of live public science events. In her 9-5 job she works to bring science to anyone everywhere and in her free time she cries a lot over her Star Wars feelings.

Anthony FrancisBy day, Anthony Francis is a roboticist; by night, he’s an author and comic book artist. He writes the Dakota Frost, Skindancer urban fantasy series including Frost Moon, Blood Rock and Liquid Fire, and his latest novel is the steampunk adventure Jeremiah Willston And The Cloclwork Time Machine.

John HudgensJohn Hudgens is a filmmaker, animator, and artist who has directed documentaries and several award-winning Star Wars parody films. His work on licensed properties includes Babylon 5, Crimson Skies, MechWarrior, and Star Wars.

Tom HutchensTom Hutchens is the founder of the Mandalorian Mercs Costume Club as "Mandalore the Uniter". Working from his armory, Tom is the creator of some of the world's most realistic Mandalorian costumes and props, and focus of various television shows and documentaries on Star Wars cosplay.

Stephen Richard LetnesStephen Letnes is a film composer with credits ranging from international WWII documentaries to feature films with Sony Pictures. Stephen is also blind; he is an advocate for persons with disabilities and speaks on their behalf at schools and clubs around the Midwest.

Jay NovellaJay Novella is a skeptical activist, a science popularizer and co-host of The Skeptics’ Guide To The Universe, a top 10 science podcast with over 600 episodes.

Teresa PattersonWork includes: The World of Shannara (Terry Brooks), The World of the Wheel of Time (Robert Jordan), No Quarter (Robert Asprin), Combat Corpsman (Navy SEAL Greg McPartlin), as well as numerous short stories, and humorous history essays. She is also an editor, artist and manages The Armory at DragonCon.

Trisha J. WoldridgeTrisha J. Wooldridge, former president of Broad Universe, writes short stories and weird poetry for anthologies and magazines that occasionally win awards. She’s edited two anthologies and over sixty novels. As child-friendly T.J. Wooldridge, she’s published three scary children’s novels. More at www.anovelfriend.com.

Tony A Ballard-SmootModel, cosplayer, speaker and enthusiast. Tony works diligently to promote the steampunk, cosplay, modeling and maker communities as a whole. He travels extensively around the United states working within the various communities in a variety of roles.

Evan BernsteinEvan Bernstein is a co-host of the award-winning podcast The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe. He has given live presentations around the world on topics including; the direct harms of pseudoscience, woo in the martial arts, and the truth behind paranormal investigations.

David BoopDenver-based author David Boop’s She Murdered Me with Science re-released in 2017. His tie-ins include Predator, Green Hornet, and Veronica Mars. He edited Straight Outta Tombstone for Baen. David's worked on Savage Worlds' Rippers Resurrected, Deadlands: Noir and Flash Gordon.

Jonathan P BrazeeJonathan P Brazee is a retired Marine colonel, writer with 25+ fiction titles and 130k books sold to date. and member of SFWA.

Raychelle BurksRaychelle is a chemist in the Ivory Tower, though she often makes a tower break to talk about the science behind pop-culture and can be seen on Science Channel's Outrageous Acts of science. She also writes a monthly forensic science column for Chemistry World.

Alison CarrierAlison Carrier is the UI/UX Designer for Red Crow Austin, a mobile game studio created by Electronic Arts. A seasoned mobile developer, she is currently the first female designer for The Simpsons: Tapped Out. She is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in video games.

Myke ColeStar of CBS' hit TV show Hunted. Author of military fantasy Shadow Ops series from Ace/Roc and The Sacred Throne series from Tor.com. Author of military history Legion vs. Phalanx from Osprey.

Evan CurrieEvan Currie is a military science fiction author of more than 15 novels, notably the Odyssey One series and the Silver Wings series.

Paul B CurriePaul Currie is a Professor of Biology and Chemistry, specializing in online science education and a world traveler. He presents on using pop culture in to explain science in the classroom and how science influences pop culture. He received his DVM from the University of Georgia.

Lali DeRosierScience teacher and education advocate, Lali DeRosier (a.k.a. Adverbia) promotes youth involvement in science through student writing and science outreach. Together with her co-hosts in the Curly Hair Mafia (curlyhairmafia.com), she tackles themes of science and diversity in scifi, fantasy, and horror in film, TV, and gaming.

Ken FeinbergKen Feinberg is known as the Chaos Demon from Buffy the Vampire Slayer as well as the Alien Captain from Star Trek Enterprise as well as an award-winning producer, director and writer having worked on over 100 projects.

Emily A FinkeBy training a forensic anthropologist, but by passion a science communicator, Emily has spent the past 20 years teaching in museums, nature centers, pubs, and anywhere else there's an audience.

Michael D. FrenchCo-founder of RetroBlasting, a video channel that analyzes and deconstructs cartoons and toys of the 80's.

Mark W. GuraMark W. Gura is an author, the Vice President of the Atheist Alliance of America and also the Executive Director of the nonprofit Association of Mindfulness Meditation and Secular Buddhism (AMMSB.org).

Robert E. HampsonDr. Robert E. Hampson (Tedd Roberts), writes SF as well as the science behind hard-science fiction. He has advised more than a dozen SF/F writers, game developers and TV writers, and is considered by many to be the most likely scientist to create a Zombie Apocalypse!

Nancy HolznerNancy Holzner is the author of the Deadtown urban fantasy series, published by Ace. There are six books in the Deadtown series, which features Boston shapeshifter and demon exterminator Vicky Vaughn.

Rachel KimberlyRachel is a podcaster, entertainer, educator, and cosplayer. She lends her unique inelegant brand of comedy too many different shows on the Geek IO media network.

D.Alan LewisD. Alan Lewis is an author of steampunk, fantasy, and new-Pulp. His debut novel, The Blood in Snowflake Garden is being developed into a television series. Alan’s other works include The Lightning Bolts of Zeus, The Bishop of Port Victoria, and Keely, along with twenty published short stories.

Michael LivingstonMichael Livingston’s historical fantasy series The Shards of Heaven is being published published by Tor Books. An award-winning writer and professor, Livingston holds degrees in History, Medieval Studies, and English. He teaches at The Citadel, specializing in the Middle Ages and speculative literature.

Kelly LockhartRobot Battles founder Kelly Lockhart has been entertaining crowds for nearly 30 years now, overseeing the popular sport of mechanical mayhem. He is also a science fiction editor; check out his latest anthology (co-edited with John Ringo) Black Tide Rising, a collection of zombie apocalypse stories.

Angela F. MattkePracting Emergency Physician with a passion for protecting patients from scams, frauds, and charlatans. A staunch supporter of science, she has been a guest speaker at skeptics conferences in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Australia.

Melinda R. MockCo-founder of RetroBlasting, a video channel that analyzes and deconstructs cartoons and toys of the 80's.

Julien MusolinoJulien Musolino is a cognitive scientist, public speaker, and author who holds a dual appointment in the Psychology Department and the Center for Cognitive Science at Rutgers University. His research has been published in top scientific journals and funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.

James NeatheryJames Neathery is a professional steampunk artist who appeared on the TV series Steampunk'd on GSN

Steven NovellaSteven Novella is the host and producer of The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe, a popular and award-winning weekly science podcast. An internationally known science communicator with multiple TV appearances, two popular blogs (NeuroLogica and Science-Based Medicine), and has produced two courses for The Great Courses.

Melissa F OlsonMelissa F. Olson is the author of seven Old World novels for 47North as well as the Tor.com novella Nightshades and its sequels. She lives in Madison, WI with her husband, two kids, three dogs, and two jittery chinchillas. Read more about her work and life at MelissaFOlson.com.

Alison Sky RichardsAlison Sky Richards, a "method writer", has trained professionally in sword fighting to learn how to write the perfect fight scenes. She still has yet to hit George Lucas levels of severed limbs though.

Gray RinehartGray Rinehart writes stories and songs and serious things. His stories have appeared in major magazines and anthologies, his first novel is forthcoming from WordFire Press, and his songs have been played on The Dr. Demento Show. He is the "Slushmaster General" for Baen Books, and a USAF veteran.

R Alan SilerR. Alan Siler is the author of Doctor Who's Greatest Hits: A Guide to the Best Stories From Time and Space, and Star Trek's Greatest Hits: A Guide to the Best Stories From the Final Frontier. He's had essays published in collections about Doctor Who, Star Trek and David Bowie.

Fr. Bryan SmallCatholic Priest and pop culture geek, Fr. Bryan has been participating in discussions on various tracks for a number of years. He brings his insights from academia, spirituality, and fandom into the mix.

Alexi VandenbergAlexi Vandenberg, Geek Entrepreneur and Commentator. He is also the owner of Rabid Fanboy Marketing, Bard's Tower and the Supervillain Network

R.R. VirdiR.R. Virdi is the Dragon Award-nominated author of the paranormal investigator series: The Grave Report

Mark H WandreyMark Wandrey has been a writer his whole life, creating diverse and best selling books that compel and delight fans of all ages.

Mel. WhiteDr. Mel. White is an anthropologist and science educator who writes and draws silly cartoons.

Will WightWill Wight is the Amazon best-selling author of the Traveler's Gate trilogy, the Elder Empire cycle, and the Cradle series. He has sold over 300,000 books.

Fran WildeFran Wilde is the author of the Andre Norton- and Compton Crook Award-winning, Nebula-nominated novel Updraft (Tor), its sequels, Cloudbound, and Horizon (2017). Her short stories appear in Asimov’s, Tor.com and the 2017 Year's Best Dark Fantasy and Horror.

Gil GerardGil Gerard is best-known to SF audiences as Capt. William "Buck" Rogers in the SF TV series, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. His other roles include several movie and TV series appearances.

Rob LevyRob Levy is the writer of Doctor Whooligan blog, arts and culture writer for ALIVE Magazine, music and pop culture writer for several publications, blogger and podcaster for needcoffee.com, and occasional contributor to ESO Podcast. He is also the host of Juxtaposition on KDHX Radio.

Jean Marie WardJean Marie Ward writes fiction, nonfiction and everything in between. Her credits include a multi-award nominated novel, numerous short stories and two popular art books. The former editor of Crescent Blues, she co-edited the 40th anniversary World Fantasy Con anthology Unconventional Fantasy and is a frequent contributor to BUZZYMAG.com.

Gabo BautistaGABO, (Gabriel Bautista) is the artist for The Life After written by Joshua Hale Fialkov, (Oni Press.) He is a Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award nominee, as well as an Eisner and Harvey award winning colorist.

Patricia BriggsPatricia Briggs is the #1 New York Times best selling author of the Mercy Thompson and Alpha & Omega series as well as numerous traditional fantasy books.

James BurnsJames Burns is a television graphic designer, comic book creator, and illustrator who lives in Athens, Georgia.

Delilah S. DawsonDelilah S. Dawson is the author of the Ladycastle comic from BOOM! Studios, the Blud series, the Hit series, Servants of the Storm, Star Wars: The Perfect Weapon, and Scorched, and the Shadows series, written as Lila Bowen and beginning with Wake of Vultures.

Keith R.A. DeCandidoKeith R.A. DeCandido is the author of a ton of fiction over two-plus decades in the worlds of TV shows, movies, comics, and games, as well as his own universes from the fictional Cliff's End and Super City to the fantastical Key West and New York.

Margaret DowneyMargaret Downey founded the Freethought Society (FS) and the Anti-Discrimination Support Network (ADSN) in 1993. In 1994 Margaret founded the Thomas Paine Memorial Committee.

Elonka DuninElonka Dunin is a professional game developer, writer, and cryptographer. A leading expert on the world's most famous unsolved codes, such as "Kryptos" at CIA Headquarters, she is also namesake for the "Nola Kaye" character in Dan Brown's bestselling novel The Lost Symbol.

Robert JimenezRobert Jimenez's art can be seen in sets from Topps and Upper Deck, most notably the 8 paintings he created for Upper Deck’s Firefly The VerseStrangewise No.9.

Cheralyn LambethCheralyn Lambeth is a costume/prop/puppet builder whose work includes the films The Muppet Christmas Carol and The Hunger Games; TV shows Dinosaurs!, Homeland, and Outcast; live properties such as Avenue Q and Star Trek: The Experience; and the books The Well Dressed Puppet, Creating the Character Costume: Tools, Tips, and Talks with Top Costumers and Cosplayers.

Jonathan MaberryJonathan Maberry is a New York Times bestselling author, 5-time Bram Stoker Award winner, and comic book writer. His novels Mars One and Joe Ledger are in development for film. His board game, V-Wars, is now available.

Don R MaitzThe award winning imaginative art of Don Maitz has appeared on hundreds of publications worldwide and as concept art for two feature animated films. Maitz created the Captain Morgan Spiced Rum character. His A-Maitz-ing images have delighted audiences for over forty years.

Lee MartindaleLee Martindale is known for editing the anthologies Such a Pretty Face and The Ladies of Trade Town and as the writer of Bard's Road and stories in anthologies edited Marion Zimmer Bradley, Esther Friesner, Diana Paxson and more. Her first novel, Camino Unreal, is slated for release in 2017.

James MinzBaen Books Executive Editor James Minz has worked in genre publishing for more than two decades, first at Tor for more than a decade, then briefly at Del Rey, until finally, on the centennial of Robert A. Heinlein’s birth, landing at Baen Books.

Elizabeth MoonElizabeth Moon has published twenty-seven novels including Nebula Award winner The Speed of Dark, over fifty short-fiction pieces in anthologies and magazines, and four short fiction collections, most recently Deeds of Honor. Her most recent novel is Cold Welcome (Del Rey, April 2017.)

Van Allen PlexicoVan Allen Plexico is a multi-award winning and best-selling author of fifteen novels and many more non-fiction books, short stories and audio books from a variety of publishers. He won the 2015 Pulp Factory Awards in both the Novel and Anthology categories, and is best known for his Sentinels superhero series.

Robert J. SawyerRobert J. Sawyer has won the Hugo, Nebula, and John W. Campbell Memorial Awards, all for best science-fiction novel of the year. The ABC TV series FlashForward was based on his Aurora Award-winning novel of the same name, and he was one of the writers for that program.

Catherine M. ScullyCatherine Scully is a book illustrator (Winterspell, Labyrinth Lost) and writer of middle-grade, young adult, and adult ficiton

Samantha SommersbySamantha Sommersby left what she used to call her "real life" day job to write full-time in 2007. She is the author of a dozen works including the critically acclaimed paranormal romance series, Forbidden. She also writes the Fallen Siren series as S.J. Harper in collaboration with Jeanne C. Stein.

Eric P. SpanaEric Spana is a biology professor at Duke University specializing in genetics and molecular biology who explains the unusual and fantastic occurrences in science fiction, fantasy and video games using the biological mechanisms already identified on Earth. Sometimes he has to point out the really, really bad science, too.

Adam Bryce ThomasAdam Bryce Thomas is a comic artist currently penciling for Archie Comic's Sonic Universe series. Additionally, Adam has collaborated with many writers as lead artist.

John J WickJohn Wick makes games. He also writes short stories, novels and scripts, but mostly, he makes games. His most recent project is 7th Sea: Second Edition.

Janny WurtsJanny Wurts, published author of 18 novels, a short story collection, and thirty two short stories. Also a Chesley award winning illustrator, she also paints her own book covers, and has a painting in the collection of the Delaware Art Museum.

Chelsea Quinn YarbroIn her 49-year-long career, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro has sold 97 books and 83 shorter works in many genres. She is best-known for her Saint-Germain series of historical horror stories.

Jane Yolen2017 Literary Guest of Honor Jane Yolen is an author of children’s books, fantasy, and science fiction, including Owl Moon, The Devil’s Arithmetic, and How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?

Thomas F. ZahlerThom Zahler is the creator, writer and artist of the superhero romantic comedy Love and Capes and an animation writer. He has also written and drawn IDW’s My Little Pony as well as his creator owned work, Long Distance and Time and Vine.

Timothy ZahnTimothy Zahn is the author of ten Star Wars books and the Cobra, Quadrail, and Dragonback series. Recent books include StarCraft: Evolution and A Call to Arms, the second of the Manticore Ascendant series with David Weber. Upcoming books include Star Wars: Thrawn, and Sibyl’s War Chronicles I: Pawn.

Nick EftimiadesNicholas Eftimiades in an author and lecturer. He's spent 34 years in US defense and diplomatic positions with postings in Europe and Asia. Eftimiades authored books and number of scholarly articles on national security, technology and society, and outer space related issues.

Mike FaberDirector Mike Faber is the founder and chief creative officer of the highly geeky and ever expanding ESO Podcast Network. Mike also hosts The Earth Station One & Earth Station Who podcasts. He is the webmaster for esopodcast.com, which celebrates all things sci-fi, fantasy and much, much more.

Leanna Renee HieberLeanna Hieber is an award winning, nationally bestselling author of gothic, gaslamp fantasy novels for Tor Books, such as the Strangely Beautiful saga, The Eterna Files, and Magic Most Foul series. Hieber, an actress, playwright, ghost tour guide, and proud goth, also loves working in television in NYC.

Dr. Scott ViguiéDr. Scott Viguié is an archaeologist, novelist, actor, and consultant for the National Science Academy’s Science and Entertainment Exchange. He created Doctor Geek’s Laboratory, a STEM outreach web series exploring concepts from science fiction and relating them to scientific breakthroughs, and Doctor Geek’s Science Fair.

Lucienne DiverLucienne Diver is a literary agent of over twenty-three years experience and author of the popular Vamped YA series and Latter-Day Olympians urban fantasy series, as well as numerous short stories and the essay “Abuse” in the Dear Bully anthology.

J.D. HornJ. D. Horn is the author of the standalone dark fantasy Shivaree and the bestselling Witching Savannah series (The Line, The Source, The Void, and Jilo). The Witching Savannah series has been/is being translated into Russian, Polish, German, Spanish, Italian, French, Turkish , and Romanian.

Thomas MarianiThomas Mariani is a writer and podcaster. He's currently the co-managing editor of the Austin based website OneOfUs.net and writes for Gruesome Magazine. His podcasting history includes co-hosting Horror News Radio, The Hannibal Fan Podcast, The American Horror Story Fan Podcast & The Monster Movie Podcast.

Curt AndersonCurt is a professional magician and speaker about lying and deception. Curt has performed extensively across the US as well as internationally.

Jake BibleBram Stoker Award nominated-novelist, podcaster, and inventor of the Drabble Novel, Jake Bible is the author of over 40 novels including the bestselling Z-Burbia, as well as Salvage Merc One, the Apex Trilogy (Dead Mech, The Americans, Metal and Ash), the Mega series, and others.

Jack CampbellJack Campbell (John G. Hemry) writes the New York Times bestselling series The Lost Fleet which has been published in 14 languages, and the steampunk meets high fantasy series The Pillars of Reality. His most recent books are Vanguard and Daughter of Dragons. Jack/John is a retired Navy officer.

Freddy ClementsFreddy Clements is currently a Professor of Drama/ Costume Design at Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville AL. He holds a MFA in Costume design from Virginia Commonwealth University. He has designed costumes for various regional theatres and has extensive experience in Early Twentieth Century Corsetry, Kilt Construction and Costume Technology.

David B. CoeDavid B. Coe/D.B. Jackson is the award-winning author of nineteen fantasy novels. As David B. Coe he writes epic fantasy and urban fantasy. As D.B. Jackson he writes the Thieftaker Chronicles, a blend of urban fantasy, mystery, and historical fiction.

Eric FlintEric Flint's writing career began with the SF novel Mother of Demons. His alternate history novel 1632 has led to a long-running series with over thirty novels and anthologies in print. He’s also written many other science fiction and fantasy novels. He resides in northwest Indiana with his wife Lucille.

Dr. Stephen GranadeStephen Granade is a physicist specializing in lasers and robotic sensors. His sensors have read fingerprints from ten feet away, controlled robot helicopters, and guided the shuttle to Hubble. He’s the host of NASA's No Small Steps YouTube series and has won awards for presenting to non-scientist audiences.

Clay and Susan GriffithClay and Susan Griffith are authors of The Flash: The Haunting of Barry Allen and Arrow: Generation of Vipers, official tie-in novels for the hit CW shows. They are also the creators of the Vampire Empire series of novels.

Laurell K. HamiltonLaurell K Hamilton is the New York Times #1 bestselling author of the Anita Blake and Meredith Gentry series of Paranormal Thrillers.

A. J. HartleyA.J. Hartley is the international bestselling author of 14 novels, the most recent of which are Steeplejack, a YA, African steam punk fantasy, Cathedrals of Glass (YA scifi) and Sekret Machines, a sweeping multimedia investigation of unexplained aerial phenomena co-written with Blink 182/Angels and Airwaves front man, Tom DeLonge.

John G. HartnessJohn G. Hartness is the award-winning author of several urban fantasy and horror series, the host of the podcast Writing Rants, and the co-founder & publisher of Falstaff Books.

Faith HunterFaith Hunter is a New York Times and USAToday bestselling fantasy author. She writes two Urban Fantasy series: Jane Yellowrock ( a Cherokee skinwalker) and Soulwood series, featuring earth magic user Nell Ingram. Her Rogue Mage novels and RPG are post-apocalyptic fantasy featuring Thorn St. Croix, a stone mage.

Les JohnsonLes Johnson is a science and science fiction author and a NASA scientist. His novels include On to the Asteroid and Rescue Mode. Les was the featured Interstellar Explorer in National Geographic magazine, a technical consultant for the movie, Europa Report and is leading an asteroid rendezvous mission for NASA.

Bill KeelAstronomer Bill Keel, author of The Sky at Einstein's Feet and The Road to Galaxy Formation, has appeared at Dragon Con since 2004. He hosts annual overnight "Live Astronomy" sessions, and spoken on cosmology, extrasolar planets, citizen discovery in astronomy, science in the Firefly and Avatar universes, space technology, and astronomical tourism.

Sherrilyn KenyonNew York Times and international bestselling author, Sherrilyn Kenyon, is a regular at the #1 spot. Since 2003, she's placed more than 75 novels on the New York Times list in all formats including manga and graphic novels. Current series are: Dark-Hunter, Nick Chronicles, Deadman’s Cross, Lords of Avalon, and The League.

Alethea KontisAlethea Kontis is the New York Times bestselling author of The Dark-Hunter Companion (with Sherrilyn Kenyon) and multi-award winning author of the Books of Arilland fairy tale series. She is the host of Princess Alethea’s Traveling Sideshow at Dragon Con.

Katherine KurtzKatherine Kurtz's first novel, Deryni Rising, was the first original fantasy published after the success of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and helped establish the modern fantasy genre. The Deryni series now extends to nearly twenty novels. Her Adept series helped launch the occult fantasy genre.

Starr LongStarr Long has been making video games for twenty-five years, partnering with visionaries like Richard Garriott. He was the Director of the groundbreaking MMO Ultima Online. He is currently working on Shroud of the Avatar, the second highest crowd funded videogame ever.

Mari MancusiMari Mancusi is a multiple Emmy award winning TV producer and author of more than two dozen sci-fi/fantasy books for adults, kids and teens.

Mark MeerMark Meer is the voice of Commander Shepard in Bioware's Mass Effect Trilogy, and appears in the Baldur's Gate and Dragon Age series. He also voices Will MacKenzie in The Long Dark from Hinterland Studio, and stars in the Canadian TV series Tiny Plastic Men and CAUTION: May Contain Nuts.

Diana PeterfreundDiana Peterfreund is the author of eleven books for adults and children, including the Killer Unicorns series and For Darkness Shows the Stars, a post-apocalyptic retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion. And the Goonies-meets-spaceships series Omega City.

Mike ResnickMike Resnick is the all-time leading award winner, living or dead, for short science fiction. He has written 76 novels, 280 stories, 10 books of non-fiction, 3 screenplays, and currently edits Galaxy's Edge magazine and Stellar Guild books.

Scott Sigler#1 New York Times best-selling author Scott Sigler is the creator of fifteen novels, six novellas and dozens of short stories. His works are available from Crown Publishing and Del Rey Books. He is also a co-founder of Empty Set Entertainment, which publishes his young-adult Galactic Football League series.

Kim SteadmanKim Steadman is a system engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Currently she is a Tactical Uplink Lead for the Curiosity Rover and a Science System Engineer for the Mars 2020 Rover. Her job is to enable science while keeping the spacecraft safe and happy.

Debbie ViguiéDebbie Viguié is the New York Times bestselling author of the Wicked series and four dozen other novels. Debbie writes thrillers including The Psalm 23 Mysteries and the Witch Hunt trilogy. Debbie is also a demonologist and an actress. She plays a recurring character on the show Doctor Geek’s Laboratory.

Karen GillanKaren Gillan is a Scottish actress and former model, best known for playing the role of Amy Pond in the hit British sci-fi TV series Doctor Who. Karen will be appearing Saturday and Sunday only.

Charles MartinetCharles Martinet is an actor and voice actor, best known for providing the voice of Mario, the titular character in Nintendo’s flagship video game franchise. He has held this role since 1994, longer than any other actor. He also voices Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Toadsworth, Baby Mario, and Baby Luigi.

Billie PiperBillie Piper’s transition into acting began when she joined the BBC series Doctor Who as companion 'Rose Tyler'. After, Piper currently stars as ‘Brona Croft’ in the Showtime series Penny Dreadful. She will be appearing at Dragon Con Sunday only.

Gail Z. MartinGail Z. Martin is the author of four epic fantasy series (Chronicles of the Necromancer, Fallen Kings, Ascendant Kingdoms, Darkhurst), an urban fantasy series (Deadly Curiosities) and a Steampunk series (Iron & Blood) for Solaris Books and Orbit Books. Scourge (2017) launches her new Darkhurst epic fantasy series for Solaris.

Sarah MilkovichSarah Milkovich, Ph.D, is a planetary geologist and system engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Sarah works on spacecraft science operations, at the point where science and engineering meet. Sarah is lead Science Systems Engineer for the Mars 2020 Rover, which will seek signs of ancient life on Mars.

Matt SmithMatt Smith is an English actor who shot to fame in the UK at age 26 when he was cast by producer Steven Moffat as the Eleventh Doctor in the BBC's iconic science-fiction adventure series Doctor Who. Since leaving Doctor Who, Smith has launched himself into a film career.

Lou AntonelliLou Antonelli started writing fiction in middle age; his first story was published in 2003 when he was 46. He’s had 104 short stories published, His debut novel, Another Girl, Another Planet, was published this year by WordFire Press.

Griffin BarberA veteran police officer, Griffin Barber is also a lifelong Speculative Fiction fan and gamer. He's had several shorts published in the Grantvile Gazette and penned a well-received novella for RSI’s website called: A Separate Law. 1636: Mission to the Mughals, co-authored with Eric Flint, is available from Baen Booksg.

The Black SaintI still toil daily at horrornews.net, gruesomemagazine.com, and whatever other outlets are fool enough to publish my ramblings. I'm also a co-host at the Horror News Radio podcast, and the Decades Of Horror: The 70's podcast.

CJ BoatCJ is a podcaster, comedian, author, and professional geek. He runs the Geek IO Media Network and its podcasts.

Richard Lee ByersRichard Lee Byers is the author of over forty fantasy and horror novels as well as numerous pieces of short fiction. He also writes graphic novel and contributes to the development of electronic games. He invites everyone to Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and/or Ello.

David P. DreherAn avid horror fan - Dave is the lead news reporter at The Horror Channel as well as co-host of Horror News Radio. He has also worked as Tom Savini's webmaster since 1997.

Andy DykesAndy is a real, live rocket scientist who flies satellites for a living and has supported all kinds of manned and unmanned space flight at NASA. He also worked at U.S. Space Camp, teaching humans of all ages about space history and technology.

Marc Alan EdelheitBest Selling Author, Marc Alan Edelheit writes Military Science Fiction and Fantasy. He authored the award winning Chronicles of An Imperial Legionary Office Series and Tales of the Seventh. Marc is the Host of the 2Cent History Podcast, A historical Consultant for PC Video Games, A hardcore History Fanatic,Adventurist.

Kacey EzellKacey Ezell is an active duty USAF helicopter pilot and an author in the SF, military SF, fantasy, alt history, horror, noir... etc. genres. She lives with her husband and two daughters.

Michael FalknerMichael is an award-winning writer and podcaster in pop culture. He also contributes to the Dragon Con Newbies group, which helps new attendees to the convention.

Moe FerraraMusician turned law school graduate turned literary agent, Moe Ferrara holds the dual roles of literary agent and subsidiary rights director at BookEnds Literary. A fandom girl and cosplayer at heart, she represents Sci-Fi and Fantasy for all ages and is LGBT+ friendly.

Declan FinnDeclan Finn is the author of books ranging from thrillers to urban fantasy to SciFi, including the 2016 Dragon Award Nominated Novel for Best horror, Honor at Stake. He hosts the Catholic Geek Radio show, and can be found wherever someone is starting trouble.

John L. FlynnDr. John L. Flynn is an author, screenwriter, and three-time Hugo nominee. His recent book, Intimate Bondage, has spawned a series and likely a big screen adaptation, based upon his screenplay. With Bob Blackwood, Flynn penned the humorous and witty Everything I Know about Life I Learned from James Bond.

Christine FoltzerChristine is the Associate Art Director for Tor.com Publishing, which she helped launch in September 2015. She been working in publishing for over ten years, creating hundreds of book covers.

Marina FontaineMarina Fontaine is the author of Chasing Freedom (2016 Dragon Awards finalist for Best Apocalyptic Novel) and The Product, a dystopian novella published by Superversive Press.

Ronald Thomas GarnerRonald T. Garner is the CEO of Silence in the Library Publishing, a small press dedicated to speculative fiction. He also a writer with works published in multiple anthologies, and an officer in the United States Marine Corps. He lives in North Carolina with his wife and daughter.

Jaym GatesJaym Gates is an author, editor, and communications consultant. Her anthologies include WAR STORIES, GENIUS LOCI, and LEGENDS OF STRATEGY, she and has written for the FIREFLY, BLUE ROSE, and TIANXIA RPGs . She is also active in crisis management consulting and education, and in her spare time, trains horses.

Donna GovernorDr. Governor is an Assistant Professor of Science Education at the University of North Georgia. Her book, Big Data, Small Devices was published in 2016. She has over 30 years teaching experience in the K-12 classroom. Donna holds a PhD in Science Education and earned multiple teaching awards.

Daniel GriffithDaniel Griffith is an award-winning documentary filmmaker specializing in cult film documentaries. He is also the official documentarian for the Mystery Science Theater 300 television series on Netflix.

Nicole GugliucciAstronomer, writer, educator, maker-of-tiny-comets, and all around geek, Dr. Nicole Gugliucci has made it her mission to study and share the Universe. Known as the “NoisyAstronomer,” she earned a doctorate studying radio astronomy, did a postdoc in science education, and is an assistant professor of physics in New Hampshire.

David HarmerDavid Harmer is a disaster preparedness and game author and illustrator, as well as a certified gunsmith and competitive marksman. Recent works include Aftermath! Cybele; Aftermath! The Fleet; Aftermath! Lords of London; Hand of Death, Run Away from Zombies, Disaster Survival Guide, Alley Rabbit, and Survival Weapons and Techniques.

Allen JohnsonAllen Johnson is a Screenwriter, Martial Artist and Fight Choreographer/Stunt Fighter. His screenwriting credits include Templar Nation, The Freemason & The Freemason 2: Retaliation, with several more projects in development. He has performed in several independent films and stage plays as well as being an active member of the Palmetto Knights.

Chris KennedyA bestselling Science Fiction/Fantasy author, speaker, and small press publisher, Chris Kennedy is a former naval aviator and elementary school principal. He is also the author of the award-winning #1 bestseller, "Self-Publishing for Profit," as well as the leadership training book, "Leadership from the Darkside."

Roy KilgardDr. Kilgard is an astrophysicist who researches black holes in nearby galaxies with an emphasis on intermediate-mass black holes: an enigmatic class of objects whose origins are unclear. When not studying the heavens, he lectures on astronomy in science fiction and pop culture.

Jeff M. LeiningerJeff Leininger is the Founder and Owner of Robot Costumes USA, LLC which produces for theme parks, entertainment, film and television

J.F. LewisAlabama madman J. F. Lewis is the internationally published author of The Void City series and the Grudgebearer Trilogy. He writes books that occasionally get him into trouble.

Erin MacdonaldErin Macdonald, PhD is a space science speaker, educator, and science fiction consultant who gives talks around the world teaching the public about space science through popular culture. She is based in the Los Angeles area advising writers on space science in their work, and works as a voice actress.

Misty MasseyMisty Massey is the author of MAD KESTREL, KESTREL'S VOYAGES and KESTREL'S DANCE. She co-edited THE WEIRD WILD WEST and LAWLESS LANDS: TALES FROM THE WEIRD FRONTIER. Misty is a founding member of Magical Words, and recently became the audiobook editor for BellaRosa Books.

Stephen MazurStephen Mazur is an Assistant Editor for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction.

Christopher G MooreAward-winning filmmaker Christopher G. Moore is a co-host of Decades of Horror 1980's, American Horror Story and Horror News Radio podcasts. He's a cowriter on Beat Down Boogie's web series, Mario Warfare and is currently in preproduction on a horror comedy feature, a haunted house feature and female-centric sci-fi project.

Bill MulliganBill Mulligan is an active member of the North Carolina indie film community where he works as a special effects technician, writer, director, actor and producer. His two dozen credits include several award winning films. He is a contributing writer to Gruesome magazine and the Decades of Horror podcast.

Amy J. MurphyAmy J. Murphy is an indie author and SFWA member whose debut book, Allies and Enemies: Fallen, was a 2016 Dragon Award finalist for Best Military Science Fiction or Fantasy Novel. Her books have appeared in the Amazon Top 50 for Military Science Fiction and Space Opera.

Mohamed A NoorMohamed Noor is chair of the Biology Department at Duke University. He teaches and does research on evolution and genetics (also online in Coursera), and he is an avid Star Trek fan who talks about science as applied in the Star Trek universe and in other science fiction.

James PalmerJames Palmer is a versatile, award-nominated author of science fiction and pulp adventure. His latest novel is Star Swarm, the first book in a new space opera trilogy. He is also co-creator of the alternate history giant monster anthology series Monster Earth.

Linda RobertsonLinda Robertson is an internationally published author with six urban fantasy novels in the Persephone Alcmedi series. For her newest novel, the contemporary dark fantasy JOVIENNE, she also composed a full musical score. She a won the 2006 Florence B. Allen writing competition, and hosts workshops about writing.

Doc RottenDoc Rotten is the host of the shows Horror News Radio, Decades of Horror and American Horror Story Fan Podcast. He is also the editor-in-chief of Gruesome Magazine.

Ashley RuhlAshley Ruhl has worked in professional game development for 5 years as a cinematic designer. Her credits include Star Wars: The Old Republic, Defiance, and many episodic titles from Telltale Games, including Tales From the Borderlands, The Wolf Among Us, Walking Dead Season 2, and Minecraft: Story Mode.

Peter Adam SalomonPeter Adam Salomon’s novel, All Those Broken Angels, was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award (YA fiction) and was named a ‘Book All Young Georgians Should Read’ by The Georgia Center For The Book. His poetry has been performed on BBC Radio 6 and he has published three poetry collections.

ScicuriousBethany is a neuroscientist and an award-winning science writer and video host at Science News. She's written for Slate, the Guardian, and Scientific American; hosts the podcast Science for the People; and her Twitter feed, @scicurious, has more than 52,000 followers. Her PhD is from Wake Forest University.

Tamsin L. SilverTamsin Silver is the creator/writer of two YA Urban Fantasy Series, The Sabrina Grayson Novels and Windfire, plus the Web Series, Skye of the Damned. A Winthrop University graduate with a BA in Theatre/Secondary Education (minor in Creative Writing/Shakespeare), she currently lives in NYC. www.tamsinsilver.com

Janine K. SpendloveJanine K. Spendlove is a KC-130 pilot in the USMC and an award-winning author primarily known for her War of the Seasons series and her Star Wars tie-in fiction. Janine is also a member of Women in Aerospace (WIA), BroadUniverse (BU), and Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA).

J A SutherlandJ.A. Sutherland is the author of the Alexis Carew series, a space opera with a strong Age of Sail influence. He also writes the occasional short story based on drug-induced dreams.

George TaylorGeorge Taylor, a Disney, theme parks and roller coaster historian, was part of one of the biggest Disney-related podcasts and wrote for one of the largest websites. He’s forgotten more about Disney than most people know. He also wants to time travel. And read.

Stephen F. TaylorStephen is the Owner of Lone Wolf Armory and has been making Scale, Chainmaille, and leather armor for 13+ years.

Bryan YoungBryan Young is an author, journalist, filmmaker and podcaster.

Mark ZoranMark owns and operates the award winning costume and prop house Razorfly Studios and has been featured on CNN.

Kevin J. AndersonKevin J. Anderson has published 125 books, more than fifty of which have been national or international bestsellers. He has written numerous novels in the Star Wars, X-Files, and Dune universes, as well as a unique steampunk fantasy novel, Clockwork Angels.

Shamier AndersonShamier Anderson plays the role of the mysterious Agent Xavier Dolls in SyFy's Wynonna Earp. He will be seen recurring on the 2017 FOX miniseries Shots Fired and has appeared in Trailer Park Boys, NBC's Constantine, SyFy's Defiance and Killjoys, The CW's The Tomorrow People, and BBC America's Intruders.

Emily AndrasEmily Andras has a diverse list of television credits to her name. Currently, she is the showrunner and executive producer of SyFy’s new hit series Wynonna Earp. Previously, she spent three seasons as the showrunner and executive producer of Lost Girl, and recently worked as the supervising producer on Killjoys.

Katherine BarrellKatherine Barrell has appeared in numerous television shows in both Canada and the USA. She has a strong love for comedy performance and studied improvisation at the famous Groundlings Comedy School in California. She is most known for her role as Officer Nicole Haught in The SyFy Network's Wynonna Earp.

Bill FawcettBill Fawcett has been games designing, writing, and editing since the early 80s. He has edited or co-edited over 40 Science Fiction anthologies. His non-fiction books include two Navy SEALs histories and books on mistakes in history. He is also a game and computer game designer.

Rebecca MoestaRebecca Moesta has written novels in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Junior Jedi Knights series, and with husband Kevin J. Anderson, she wrote the Crystal Doors trilogy, fourteen Young Jedi Knights novels, six novelizations, lyrics for two rock CDs, graphic novels, and pop-up books.

Dominique Provost-ChalkleyDominique Provost-Chalkley began dancing and acting at the age of 4 after she quickly discovering her passion for all performing arts. Her favorite project to date is filming Wynonna Earp where she plays Wynonna's younger sister Waverly. Other credits include 12 Monkeys, Murdoch Mysteries, and Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Tim RozonTim Ronzon’s first major role was playing heartthrob Tommy Quincy on the teen drama series Instant Star. Recent series leads include two seasons playing Mutt Schitt on CBC’s runaway comedy Schitt’s Creek and charismatic gambler Doc Holliday in Wynonna Earp.

Ben JacobsBen Jacobs works at Tools for Life, Georgia's assistive technology program at Georgia Tech. Ben is an expert in finding technological solutions for people with disabilities to become independent in every facet of their life. Ben is a lifelong gamer and champions the importance of video game accessbility for all.

Eric R. AsherEric Asher is the author of the Vesik urban fantasy series and the YA dystopian Steamborn trilogy.

Kevin BachelderKevin has been podcasting about genre TV and movies since 2005. His podcasts have won four Parsec Awards in the Best Fan Podcast category. Along with speaking on multiple panels at Dragon Con yearly since 2006 he also leads the Dragon Con Newbies group which puts on events to help new attendees.

Zoraida CordovaZoraida Córdova is the author of The Vicious Deep trilogy, the On the Verge series, and Labyrinth Lost.

David HaddockDave Haddock is currently the lead writer on Star Citizen, Chris Roberts' epic crowdfunded space sim.

Lucas HernandezLucas Hernandez is an educator from the Florida Aquarium in Tampa Florida. He has a BA in Integrated Animal Biology from the University of South Florida. He is also a Certified Interpretive Guide with the NAI (National Association of Interpretation).

Mary G. ThompsonMary G. Thompson is the author of Flicker and Mist and other YA novels. She was raised in Oregon, was a JAG Corps officer in the US Navy, and is now a law librarian in Washington, DC. She received her MFA in Writing for Children from The New School.

Phantom TroublemakerPhantom Troublemaker is the co-host of The Dirty Dirty Con Con Game Game Show Show, the owner and operator of NeedlessThingsSite.com and the Needless Things Podcast, and the voice of Dragon Con Championship Wrestling.